Returning To Steve Leonard
by Ronnie Ravenly
Summary: This is a Steve-centric story, who will be including romance between Steve and my OCC, Annabelle. Rated "T" because of swearing and voilence.
1. Chapter 1

"_Annabelle!" _

_A lot of men orange suits with big, black flashlights were walking around in the wood. The whole town was in panic. In such a little town, things like this rarely happened. Therefore they were all chaotically trying to find that ten year old girl who was currently missing._

_Even an eleven year old boy, whose name was Steve Leonard was looking after her._

_But he wasn't walking organized around like the men in the orange suits was. No, he was running around in panic.' Cause_he_actually had something to lose if they didn't find her. His whole life would be ripped to shreds if he didn't find her. The men in the orange suits did not care about her, they didn't care that her name was Annabelle. They didn't care that when she was younger, she could not pronounce her own name, so she just called herself Belle, and the nickname had struck to her like glue. They did not care that she was the best and only friend Steve ever had. They did not care that he felt like he would die without her._

_She wasn't_their _best friend. She was his. She couldn't be __gone__. Couldn't just vanish. She could not just disappear from his life, just like that. It was impossible. It just could not happen._

_She had to be somewhere. Somewhere. Somewhere he could find her. Anywhere he could find her. She had to be. She __had to be__._

_The mud was slippery, due to the rain that had kept drowning the ground over the course of the past week._

_Steve had slipped four times already. He didn't care. He couldn't. It did not matter. It could not matter. If he was going to let every fall affect him, then he would..._

_Then he'd never find her. Ever. She would be lost in the big cruel world, and e would be alone again. All alone, with no one in his life but his mom. His drunk, promiscuous mom, that never cared about him, just about her men and her alcohol. He could not do that again. He simply __couldn't__. He __needed__ Belle._

_And if he so fell and broke every bone in his body, it'd be worth it if she'd just come back to him. If she would just not be gone, and lost, and dead. He'd probably sell his soul to the Devil for her, even at such young age. But the Devil did not show himself, and so Steve had to keep going on his own, with his soul. But without help._

_Darren was probably looking for her too, with his parents. Even if Darren had never been specially close to her. Darren and__Belle just didn't fit together. But that didn't matter to Steve, he was happy as long as they didn't hate each other. But Steve had been so close to her, he had adored her very being, everything about her. Darren had actually said it was cute once, calling Steve and Belle's connection for 'puppy love'. Steve didn't understand the comment then. But now he did, even if it was too late._

_Darren and Belle were pretty good friends, but considerably less close than they both were to Steve. They were really just being friendly with each other because they both cared so much for Steve, and the fact that they got along meant so much to him._

_But Darren had other friends, while Belle didn't, she only had Steve. That put them closer to each other automatically. They were the only one for each other. They needed each other, one could not just leave the other, because then they would both just be alone._

_And now she __had __left him and Steve was all alone, because nobody could ever understand how much he missed her, how much she meant to him. The grief isolated him, and Steve hated the pitying looks people gave him. He hated to seem weak. So he covered it up, with anger and rebellion and mischief. The sad part was that everybody noticed the change in character, yet nobody seemed to understand __why__ it had happened._

_"Help, please!"_

"GET UP!" Mr. Tinys sickening voice cut trough the air like a knife. Steve woke up, and was thankful to Mr. Tiny for a second, because Steve knew that after that part of the dream, it would get much, much worse. It would be torture. The gratefulness was short lived, however. The normal rage and contempt took over.

"I'M FUCKING UP!" Steve yelled loudly back, hoping Mr. Tiny would get angry at him, that he would snap. But Mr. Tiny never did. He just looked smug, like he knew some grand secret Steve did not.

He got out of his coffin, and dressed quickly, not caring how it looked. It would not make any difference if he looked bad. As he was about to exit the room, however, he changed his mind. After all, he wanted to impress Mr. Tiny; to show him that he could be a great leader to an army. With that in mind, he fixed his clothes hurriedly.

As he walked trough the halls some minutes later, the nightmare was already forgotten. It was not like it was a new occurrence.

* * *

**_A/N:_**_This is the first chapter of my new story._

_Thank you for bothering to read._

_Loosely book and movie based, I guess._

_The vampanezes will have normal skin colour, and only slightly purple eyes._

_UPDATE: I still do not have the inspiration to continue the sequel to this story yet, but after looking things over I have decided to re-write the whole story, as my writing has gotten considerably better now. But I have not read the books since I wrote this story in the first place, so please point out any mistakes I might make._

**_Disclaimer:_**_I do not own The Saga of Darren Shan, if I did, Steve would be the main character. I do, anyhow, own Annabelle, nicknamed Belle. Please, do not steal her._


	2. Chapter 2

"Are we gonna kick some vampire-ass tonight?" Steve's question was hopeful. It shone right trough that that's what he _wanted_ to do.

Mr. Tiny glanced over at him, and sighed and inwardly cursed. Steve wasn't exactly like he had expected. Of course, he did have a lot of the things Mr. Tiny was searching for.

Mr. Tiny had been expecting a cold, heartless creature.

And Steve was that, indeed. He just wasn't as _serious_as Desmond thought he would be. He did not seem to get the importance of what they were doing, and only seemed to care about getting his own private revenge. It seemed as if everything else could go to Hell for all Steve cared. Quite frankly, it appeared that once the goal of revenge was reached, he would have no drive anymore.

The sun was about to go down at this hour, and Steve and Tiny were free to do whatever they pleased. Steve had feed some days ago, and didn't need any blood for now. At the current time Steve was sated, and Mr. Tiny had done all the preparations for now.

"Maybe we can kill vampire-Shan?"

That was the true problem about Steve, he wanted revenge on the one know as Darren more than anything else. That seemed more important to him than winning the War of Scars.

This was an equally bad interest as not caring of being the Vampaneze lord at all. Desmond wasn't even sure he _did_ care of being the Vampaneze lord. And if it would show that he in fact did not care, then that would be the end of the Vampanezes. Desmond simply could not let Steve go on like this. Ha had to be sure that Steve was really in for the long haul.

Steve enjoyed power, Desmond was sure of that. The psychic just wasn't sure of the rest. If things went the way he intended it to, that was a very big weakness.

At this point all Steve wanted to do was to kill Darren.

He felt like that would be momentous, and something that would make him feel better. And he wanted to feel better. Cause as it was he didn't feel too good. But then again, that was not anything new either. Steve had hoped that this, being the _Vampaneze Lord_, having all this power, making such a difference to the world, Hell, even being that one that he had always craved to be, would be enough. That it would replace the empty feeling. But it didn't. He was still just Steve, and Steve was not good enough, fast enough, kind enough, smart enough. Steve Leonard was not enough in any aspect.

It was fun though, watching people shiver after just mentioning his name, or title. It seemed like _they_ thought he was enough, in the very least. They seemed to worship him, they actually seemed to believe that he could _save_ them, that he could be enough to be their hero. Even if most probably would not have called him a _hero_.

And commanding everyone around was extremely comical, especially since they actually did what he told them to, exactly when and how he told them to do it. They acted as though he had all the right to command them around in the world, and that they were worthless if they did not do it right. His opinions _mattered_ so much for them.

* * *

Darren Shan was quickly making his way to the trailer he and Mr. Creepsly shared.

The way the leaves rustled was reminding him of home. Darren remembered a childhood memory, smiling fondly to himself.

He himself, Steve Leonard (called Leopard at that time), and Annabelle Wolfe had been in his backyard, when his parents had forced him to rake the whole backyard before they'd let him go to the cinema with Belle and Steve. Instead of simply going home when they heard of it, Steve and Belle spent their time helping him rake the garden, making the experience a much better one than many of Darren's other memories of raking that garden. Never before had the garden been so thoroughly raked, either. Darren's parents had said that they were proud of the trio, and even if they did not manage to ever see the movie they had wanted to see, the evening had been a nice one. Especially since Darren's parents had rewarded their hard work with ice-cream.

They were ten then. That had been just before Belle disappeared, if Darren remembered things right. In all these years, he really had not given Belle much thought. But after he himself had been forced to vanish from his family and friends life, he felt that he could relate in a way. Even if nobody ever really found out what had happened to Belle.

Darren had been sad about it. Steve though, Darren remembered, was completely crushed. It was tragic, Darren had never seen so much grief in one person before or after, not even on his own family's faces when he had supposedly died.

That was probably the beginning of the end for Steve, Darren recalled. He started turning into the rage filled person he was today, it was like something in him broke, or maybe Belle just took it with her when she left. Darren did not know really. He just knew that no matter what he did, he could not seem to fix Steve, no matter what he did. But he had tried. He started hanging more with Steve than anyone else, first out of pity.

Of course, he started really liking Steve like a proper best friend should later. Steve really made his dull life more exciting, even if Darren could not actually return the favour and calm Steve down a bit. Steve had been Darren's ying, even if Darren could not be Steve's yang.

He had thought he could help Steve, thought he could replace Belle, and somehow make Steve seem like he was alive again. He had thought he could help, that he could compensate what Belle was to Steve, that he could fill the empty void in Steve.

He couldn't.

"Darren! The show starts!"

Darren looked up, and realized he'd been lost in his memory for quite some time, and hastily got out, and on stage. He shook the memory out of his head, and vowed to not think about it again. It just made him feel sad, and a bit lost.

* * *

**_Disclaimer:_******_Nope. I still don't own The Saga of Darren Shan. Darren Shan does._

**_A/N:_******_This chapter is a little longer than the last, but still not long enough I guess. I'll try to change that for my dear three reviewers. Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate it!_


	3. Chapter 3

Darren didn't know how right he was, cause it was _definitively _going to be an interesting day.

This was after he was done onstage, but the show was still not finished.

Darren stood behind stage, waiting as the twins finished off, and it appeared like the show was over. He faintly heard people complaining about a weak end.

_One… Two… Three… Four… Five!_

Just as he came to five, the terrified screaming began.

Evra Von was sneaking up on the enormous snake, and calmed it down.

Mr. Tall told the audience that now the show was really over.

Darren didn't hear any complains this time, though.

Darren went outside to the campground to watch as the guests left.

There was one girl in particular that caught his attention.

She was wearing a light blue hoodie and, after what Darren could see, some dark skinny jeans.

The reason Darren noticed her was because the hood of her jacket were pulled over her face.

Some of her hair stuck out. The hair shone like it was reflecting a light that wasn't there.

Darren remembered the last time he'd ever seen hair like that. That would be…

That would be the last time he ever saw Annabelle Wolfe.

He had been thinking a lot of her recently. It was a little weird, since he hadn't rally thought about her after she was declared a lost cause. Suddenly he was thinking of her twice a day.

_Maybe it's a sign?_

Darren decided to walk over to her. It wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway.

He walked till she was right ahead of him. His hand lifted up to her shoulder, and he was about to tap it, before he decided against it. She was walking fast and determined; this made Darren wonder where she was going. He didn't know why he was so curious, he just was. He followed her closely for twenty minutes, they had passed many houses.

Darren was starting to doubt his intuition. When thinking about it, he figured it was stupid.

He was basically following some random girl away from the Cirque, because he thought she looked… Uh… How _did _she look? Amusing? Interesting?

Darren wasn't sure. He was about to turn around and walk home, when he saw another dark figure sneaking after her. Darren argued weather or not to keep tracking her.

He didn't get the time he needed to make up his mind, though.

The silhouette closed up the distance to the girl, he wasn't long behind her.

All of sudden the girl stopped, seemingly for no reason.

Darren sensed something was going to happen, so he went in hiding behind a block wall.

He stuck his head out to watch what was going on.

The other person following her stopped too, before turning around.

It started walking away right after –Darren guessed he knew something were going to happen too-, so Darren only saw his face in a flash, but it was good enough.

The other follower was a vampaneze.

Once the male vampaneze was gone, the girl turned around.

Darren still stood behind the wall, and whipped his head against it hastily.

"You realize that I know you're there, right?" Darren held his breath.

_Maybe she isn't talking to me._ Darren knew it was a long shot, but it was no use in revealing his hiding spot if he didn't have to.

"Darren Shan, are you really hiding from me?" _Okay, she's probably talking to me…_

"I didn't know I was _that _terrifying." Darren could basically hear the smirk in her voice.

Darren stepped up from the wall, and turned around to face the person who obviously knew him. Once he did he gasped. There were many memories flowing trough his brain.

He knew this girl. He knew her _very _well, he was sure of it.

Yet, he couldn't place her.

She had light hair, though it seemed like it hadn't decided weather it was white blonde or dirty blonde. Her features were very pretty. She had some pink lips, and her eyes were really, really intense blue. Darren had never seen anyone with such bright, royal blue eyes.

Well, he must've had, since he knew this girl, but she was the only one.

They stood, without saying anything for a while. Darren knew she was waiting for him to remember; to place her in his memories, make her fit somewhere.

Darren couldn't.

After a while Darren felt the silence between them grow awkward.

"You really don't know who I am, do you?"

Darren shook his head.

She smiled, not a real one. "Do I know you?" Darren had to ask.

"Apparently." He looked at her for a while, amused.

"Then who are you?" Darren didn't know why, but he felt a smile forming at his face. 

"My name is Annabelle."

_**Disclaimer:**__ No, I still don't own The Saga of Darren Shan._

_You must have figured out who does already, cause I'm not telling you again._

_**A/N:**__ I think this is the longest chapter this far! Reviewers would be appreciated, but it's still alright if you don't. So, you finally got to know Belle, that's great! Yay! Sorry, I'm obviously happy today. Well, see you later!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Returning To Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Four**_

_Recap_

_Then who are you?" Darren didn't know why, but he felt a smile forming at his face.  
_

"_My name is Annabelle."_

_Present_

_Click_

Now he remembered her.

The smile that had prior been on Darren's face quickly faded. In its place, a surprised gasp appeared. "B-belle?" The word came out more as a squeak than a question. Darren's whole face was masked in confusion.

Belle chuckled for a second at Darren's expression, before growing serious again. "Yes. Your childhood friend." Darren kept staring at her. In general staring was rude, but Darren didn't really care at the moment, he hadn't seen her for seven years. Seven damn, freaking years!

"But…" As the memories came back to him,

"But you were kidnapped! The police thought he had killed you, and Heather."

Heather was the other girl who had disappeared that year, only with a week's time between. She too was assumed kidnapped, and dead. In both cases a witness had seen two girls get into a blue, old car.

Neither returned again.

Up until now there hadn't been a trace of them anywhere. The police had given up, and so had everyone else. Darren didn't know about Heathers family, but Belles family moved on. They never forgot Belle, or stopped caring about her, but they kept living.

Everyone moved on. Well, everyone but Steve, Darren suspected.

The fact that she was here, right in front of him, alive and, by the looks of it, healthy, were… It just shouldn't be that way. She was dead, Darren was sure of it.

Every time Steve came over to his house and started to cry, Darren always told him that. That she was gone, to a better place and everything. Or when Darren would have a sleepover with Steve and Steve started having nightmares about her dying, worst way possible, and cried hysterically when Darren woke him.

It was simply impossible that Belle was here. Or anywhere for that matter, she was _dead._

"Well, obviously I am alive." Darren stared at her once again, mouth agape. _She's kidding… right?_

"Of course you're alive, _you're here!"_ Belle looked mildly surprised at his outburst. He always was the calm and kind of them. Steve was the one who'd be mad. Belle herself was always just… cold. Unexpected. She was good at comforting people at times, simply because she was so good at pretending. She couldmake people _believe_ that she understood how they felt and such. The problem was that she wasn't as good as now at such young age, and people often saw trough her lies. Therefore a lot of people rather wanted Darren to comfort them, cause he at least _tried _to understand. She didn't try. If she couldn't fool them, then she didn't bother to try to help them more than pretending.

Back to the matter at hand Belle figured that he probably had the right to be mad. "You want the whole story?" Darren kept his gaze at her for some good more seconds, before nodding.

"Let's sit down, this could take a while."

_**Disclaimer:**__ Do you seriously think I own The Saga of Darren Shan?_

_Now to the author note-_

"_That wasn't a real disclaimer!"_

"_And why is that Belle?"_

"_You never actually said that you didn't own it. You merely asked if-"_

"_Yeah, yeah we get it!"_

_**Sign.**_

"_I do n0t, in any way, own The Saga of Darren Shan._

_**A/N: **__Yeah… There isn't really any author note. I'm sorry for waiting so long with updating, I've been busy. And, please, do not scold at me, you see, my grandmother died today._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Returning To Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Five**_

_Recap_

"_You want the whole story?" Darren kept his gaze at her for some good more seconds, before nodding._

"_Let's sit down, this could take a while."_

_London, England_

_2003_

_As a bird flew from a window in the snowy morning, a little girl made her way trough the streets.__ The little girl was supposedly about eleven or twelve years. She only wore a thin coat, and many snowflakes had gotten caught in her short, blonde hair. She was carrying a bright green plastic bag, the color of it was in contrast with her brown coat. She strode around in a fast and confident walk. Nobody would have guessed that she was kidnapped. Or that she was panicking on the inside. Nothing was seriously wrong, she was just in a rush. If she didn't get home soon, then the man who kidnapped her might hurt Heather. That was the deal, one of them got to go out, but the other had to stay. That way they couldn't just run away._

_The girl, whos name was Annabelle, sighed. She speed up her walk again, and after a while she was so far away that she couldn't be seen anymore._

_London, England_

_2005_

_The little girl with blonde hair and brown coat were running. There was a brown-haired girl running with her trough the woods. It had just become spring, and there was a some of dirty snow left. There were many roots which the girls kept tripping over.__ They quickly got up and kept running again. The man who kidnapped them four years ago, in 2001, may have let them go, but he could change his mind. Both girls knew that very well. So they kept running._

_Some months later the blonde haired girl was alone. She had split up from Heather when they disagreed on where to go. Heather had wanted to follow the road, get out on the country. Belle preferred sticking to the city. There were a lot people there, easy to blend in._

_Present Time_

"I lived like that for a few years. Just blending in, hiding among people. I kept moving." Belle looked down while speaking, Darren wondered if she ever felt guilty for leaving him, Steve and her family. His anger had disappeared after hearing her story. Hearing how she and Heather really were kidnapped, and how they got to go for small trips to the store, but only one at a time, how they finally ran away after four years being imprisoned, and then separated later. "What happened to Heather?" Belle looked up. A mask of confusion clouded her face for a second, before she answered his question with a question of her own. "You don't know?" For once Darren actually managed to surprise her. _That'd be a first._ "No, I don't." She locked gaze with him for a second, before looking down again. "I saw it in the paper two weeks after we parted. I wasn't even planning on baying it, I just looked at it and-" she stopped herself and took a deep breath. Her eyes closed for a moment. Then she opened them again, and the innocence and the vulnerable that had former been there was now gone. Now he couldn't read anything in her eyes anymore. There was no emotion in them anymore.

"She's dead. I saw it that morning in the paper. Murdered with a knife. That's why I realized that I couldn't stay in London. I couldn't stay anywhere. I've been living on the run ever since." She looked up at Darren again, and even though there wasn't any light in her eyes that symbolized that she was living and alive, her eyes shone. "So you never had a home after that?" Darren couldn't imagine what it would be like. Even though he didn't have a home anymore either that couldn't compare with not having a home because you were afraid of getting killed in it. She shook her head. "C'mon." Belle raised an eyebrow at him. "Let me show you my home."

_**Disclaimer: **__Nope. I donot own anything._

_**A/N:**__ Two chapters in one night, that ain't half bad, eh? Well, yeah, I figured I owed you guys that much for spending so much time on updating. Reviewers will be appreciated._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter six**_

_Recap_

"_She's dead. I realized that I couldn't stay anywhere. I've been living on the run ever since." She looked up at Darren again._

"_C'mon." Belle raised an eyebrow at him. "Let me show you my home."_

_Present_

Even though they had been walking for the good of thirty minutes, Belle couldn't shake off the excitement of going somewhere she might actually had a chance to stay at.

"So, where is this mysterious place you call home?" Darren had to chuckle at the joy in her voice. They were heading for Cirque Du Freak at the moment, but Belle wasn't informed of that. He was walking slightly in front her since he knew the way, while she didn't. He was a little nervous to show it to her. She may have been used to many strange things but The Cirque was… The Cirque! Darren stopped abruptly, which made Belle pump into him. He turned around slowly, seeing the concerned frown on her face. "Ehh… There might be something I'll have to explain about Cirque…" Darren drifted off, not quite sure what to say.

Belle looked expectantly at him. After a while she realized he wasn't planning on saying anything her expression shifted from a wondering one to an impatient one. "If you don't spit it out I'll-" Darren quickly cut her off, not interested in hearing what awful scenarios she could have planned out for him. He loved her dearly as a sister, but sometimes she could be meaner than Steve. He closed his eyes, remembering everything about Steve, and groaned. "Is there anywhere we could sit down again? Like your story, mine will indeed take a long while. Trust me." As Darren waited for an answer, he didn't miss the smirk that tugged on the corners of Belles lips. "What?" He asked, seemingly unable to keep a smile off his face. Belles smirk had now fully appeared on her lips. "Nothing, _indeed._" Darren stared at her in confusion for a moment, before realizing his mistake. Belle was now having trouble breathing, due to all the laughter that spilled out from her lips.

The two was both unaware of the two pair of eyes watching them. That was, they were unaware, until somebody all of sudden coughed. "Gannen!" A deadly snarl accompanied the sharp sound. Before Darren even had time to react, Belle picked up a stick and held it protectively in front of herself. Once the vampaneze lord and hid body-guard stepped out of the shadow Darren felt genuinely sick. Belle on the other hand, took two seconds to place Steves face, and then relaxed. Darren looked at her with one readable message in his eyes. _Be aware._ Belle didn't understand why, but Darren hadn't given her any reason to doubt him. She simply had to trust him. While she had been wondering Belle could see that Darren swiftly had gotten up a large stick, he too. She would have kept here eyes to the ground the whole time, as she did the first seconds, had she not felt Steves eyes piercing trough her. She had always been similar to Steve in certain ways; her having a just as big pride was one of them.

That is most likely the reason that she lifted her gaze to look at him, like he did her. His appearance had changed surprisingly much in the few years she had absent from his life. His hair had grown darker, his body had grown; though he was still shorter than Darren. Even his eyes had changed. Belle had to double check it to be sure, but her first conclusion was still right. His eyes had now become _red._ His eyes were just as cold and piercing as before though. They didn't affect Belle anyway. They never had.

"Oh, don't stop chatting just because of me. I'll have a pleasure at hearing you joking." Steve snarled once again. Even if Belle had known him in five years before she disappeared, he had never been this cold. Not to her, at least.

*************..*************

When Steve had first spotted Darren and Belle coming back, he hadn't realized who this girl coming back with Darren was. When she had come closer to his and Gannens hiding place her facial structures had become clearer, though, and he had recognized her shortly. It was quite a shock, seeing her. Steve and Gannen had seen Darren take off, on his own, and seen their chance at… well, killing him. They just hadn't expected him to have company. If Steve was being completely honest, his breath had been stuck in his throat for minutes before he could properly breathe again. When he finally thought he had recovered from the… err, shock, of seeing Belle again, she had laughed. That had made him lose his breath all over again.

As he was standing, watching Belle, he had too many thoughts in his head in the same time to sort out some. But apparently, he was dismayed at the fact that Darren and her were out in the woods, having fun together, judging by his comment. Steve signed, realizing this would be a long night.

_**A/N: **__Hello dear readers, I just wanted to inform you that even though I have attended funerals lately, I have not died myself! I don't really know what to do with this story, though, since I have been focusing on my other story, "Travelling Trough Worlds Means Trouble". If anyone have any sorts of ideas I could use for this story, I would really appreciate it if anyone sent me a message telling me._

_**Disclaimer: **__I. DO. NOT. OWN. ANYTHING. BUT. BELLE!_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

_Recap_

"_Is there anywhere we could sit down again? Like your story, mine will indeed take a long while. Trust me." As Darren waited for an answer, he didn't the smirk that tugged on the corners of Belles lips. "What?" . Belles smirk had now fully appeared on her lips. "Nothing, indeed." The pair fell silent as two vampanezes came out from the bushes. "Oh, don't stop chatting just because of me. I'll have a pleasure at hearing you joking." Steve snarled._

_Present_

"What do you want, Steve?" Darren asked in what Belle would have described a polite manner, had it not been for his deadly sharp undertone. Belle looked back and forth between the boys, trying to figure out what really was going on. She had enough brains to realize that this was more than a normal fight between friends. It was something much deeper than that.

It was like a deep hatred that had been allowed to grow for quite some time. Her gaze stopped at Darren after a while, while her subconscious worked on something she couldn't place. It was something about Darrens appearance, something that was different, or not right. She looked back at Steve, but kept her face expressionless. Whatever was going on between them, she didn't want to give Darren some disadvantages. The hate she felt between them was utterly odd. It was so strong, considering how young they were. After all, they were just eighteen.

That's when it hit her. They didn't really _look_ eighteen. They didn't look really young, but younger than they should have. Not by much, only a year. Belle kept her face emotionless by a struggle now, but with all her practice after her kidnapping, she succeeded. She decided to leave the subject of the boys alone for a bit, and let her gaze swipe over the person that had showed up with Steve. He looked a whole lot older than any of the teenagers around him. He looked a bit misplaced, but he didn't look the slightest confused about the feud between Darren and Steve. He knew what was going on.

"Can't I check up on my childhood friends?" Steve asked innocently. Belle didn't miss out on the sarcastic tone that drowned out most of the politeness of the question. Belle shuddered a bit. Steve had never been an open person, but this was really bad. He sounded like he really _hated everyone._ Steve must have seen her shudder though, since he looked at her for a second. "Are you cold?" There wasn't any concern in his voice though; it had to be a scheme. "Maybe you should come with me and Gannen here" he gestured to the older guy that was with them "for a visit?" As he completed the question, Darren answered before Belle could even think about it. "Leave her alone, Steve! She doesn't know anything! Leave her out of it!" Darrens voice was transformed from it's usual calmness and politeness, to a voice filled with anger. But there was another emotion laying underneath it. Belle believed it to be sorrow or remorse. He sounded a bit sad. "I believe that's up to her, don't you think?" Steve smirked evilly as he spoke, and each word was filled with his venom for Darren. Darren looked angrier, and that sad look in his eyes disappeared. Belle got a bit afraid, and a bit amused. She had never seen Darren really angry before. This could be interesting. "STOP IT, STEVE!" Steve only chuckled. "It's up to Annabelle. You can't force her to stay." Thereafter both boys quickly faced her. Darren shook his head, his eyes begging her to say no. Steve just smirked at her. She obviously hadn't seen him in while, but the message in his eyes was clear enough; Are you scared?

Belle looked at both boys, one at a time. Then she faced Steve. "Where would you take me, should I say yes?"


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:**__ This chapter too is dedicated to: __I won't go down without a fight__._

_**Disclaimer: **__Nope. I don't own The Saga of Darren Shan today either. DAMN!_

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Eight**_

_Recap_

"_Maybe you should come with me and Gannen here" he gestured to the older guy that was with them "for a visit?" Belle faced Steve. "Where would you take__ me, should I say yes?"_

_Present_

Steves smirk stayed as glued to his face. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see." Belle glanced at Darren who now had a horrified expression all over his face. Darren finally gave up on trying to get Steve to back off. Now he was trying to talk some sense into _her._ Real clever, right?

"Belle, you don't know what've happened. _Please_ don't go with him. I have to tell you the truth," Belle eyed Darren closely. There was no way he was kidding her. No freaking way. "So, what will it ne, princess?" Belle found a rage in herself at hearing the nickname. She hated it. A lot. "Do I look like a princess to you now?" The silky tone in her voice was unmistakable. By the look on Steves face, he got the message; pure rage laid underneath it. Then the smirk quickly covered up for his concerned expression. "Now that you mentioned it, Darren would probably fit the tiara better." Belle smirked back this time. "Well, I thought you were the one who actually has a status for it of us, now aren't you Steve?" Belle put on a purely innocent look. Steve looked really baffled for a couple of seconds. She had caught him off guard. "Ho-How did _know_ that?" Belle kept her posture for one final remark. "You sound like I should be, I don't know, clueless or something?" Darren finally let out the laughter he had kept in under the whole encounter.

_Flashback_

"_Is there anywhere we could sit down again? Like your story, mine will indeed take a long while. Trust me." As Darren waited for an answer, he didn't miss the smirk that tugged on the corners of Belles lips. "What?" He asked, seemingly unable to keep a smile off his face. Belles smirk had now fully appeared on her lips. "Nothing, indeed." Darren stared at her in confusion for a moment, before realizing his mistake. Belle was now having trouble breathing, due to all the laughter that spilled out from her lips._

_They laughed about for a while, before Darren told his story. All of it. Belle listened silently, without disturbing him once. Once he was done, Darren looked at her expectantly. Belle looked beck before asking her question. "Can you prove it?" Darren stared shocked at her with his mouth open for a while. "No. It's not like I videotaped it or something." Belle shook her head at him, while sighing loudly. "Can you prove that you're a vampire?" Darren looked at her, a little less clueless this time. "I refuse to drink your blood." Belle smacked her forehead with her palm, before explaining her request a bit better. "Can you do anything unnatural for normal human-beings?" Darren actually looked like he understood this time. "Well, I can run real fast. Like really, really fast." Belle smiled at him. "Go on then!" So Darren ran. He ran about sixty meters. When he came back, after about three seconds, Belle merely looked at him for a second, before saying "Alright, you're a vampire. Anything else you wanna share?" Darren just chuckled amused._

_The two was both unaware of the two pair of eyes watching them. That was, they were unaware, until somebody all of sudden coughed. "Gannen!" A deadly snarl accompanied the sharp sound._

_Present_

"I've got my sources." Belle smirked. Steve looked furious with himself. Gannen just sighed, muttering "Just another slip-up." Steve scolded at Gannen to get him to shut up. What Darren didn't catch in those words, Belle did. "Just _another _slip-up? You've obviously made a lot of mistakes then, what Steve?" Steve glared at Gannen. 'Sorry' Gannen mouthed.

"I'm breaking up this silly conversation of tiaras by asking you again, Annabelle; do you want to come with us or him?" Gannen said, gesturing towards Darren. Unbeknown to everybody around her, Belle still hadn't made up her mind. Still wondering who to go with, Belle considered both guys for a while. It would be the easiest and probably _smartest_ to go with Darren. But she never claimed to be smart. And she was curious about Steve, and the vampaneezes. But going with Steve could be dangerous. She could be risking her neck, or blood, by choosing Steve. She didn't know if it was quite worth it. Darren was safe, and she trusted him. In a way she trusted Steve too, but she had gotten to know Darrens older character too, not just his young personality. Steve she only knew from her memories as a ten year old girl. He could have changed more than his appearance and his attitude. But she _knew _Steve right? No. She didn't know him at all. Not this vampaneeze lord. She knew a little boy. A little boy, that always brought trouble with him, and was a little cocky, but had a big heart when he opened it up. She pictured both in her mind, so she wouldn't have to look back and forth. If she started looking at them, she would give herself away. Darren, Steve. Steve, Darren. Realization hit her. It wasn't a hard pick. Not at all, in fact. Now she knew exactly which one of the teenage boys she should pick. It was pretty obvious now when she thought about it.

_**A/N:**__ Sorry for bothering you with TWO author notes in one chapter. __Who do you think she should pick?__ Please leave a review with your opinion._


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:**__ This chapter is dedicated to:_ _christineexx__._

_**Disclaimer: **__Nope. I don't own The Saga of Darren Shan today either. Surprising, right?_

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Nine**_

_Recap_

"_I'm breaking up this silly conversation of tiaras by asking you again, Annabelle; do you want to come with us or him?" Gannen said, gesturing towards Darren._ _Darren, Steve. Steve, Darren. Realization hit her. It wasn't a hard pick. Not at all, in fact. Now she knew exactly which one of the teenage boys she should pick. It was pretty obvious now when she thought about it._

_Present_

She was Belle Wolfe, wasn't she? She always did what everyone else _wouldn't _do. That was simply her way of living. She had to go with Steve. You had to be taking your _braveness _to the point of _stupidity_ or just extremely stupid to go with him. Which was just her reason for doing it. Anyway, if she had let her feelings trough she was sure that she missed Steve. She had missed him so much it hurt the first three years. After those three years she had simply shut off her ability to feel. It was too much, and every time she cried or such the man who abducted her would violate her in a way. After that it took another year before her capturer let her and Heather out. After that she had almost three years living on the run. So, all in all, she had lived without emotions in four years. Too late to regret now.

She looked at Gannen and said "I'm going with you. Darren's nice and all, but he's kind off boring." Darren looked slightly shocked, and he still had that scared look on his face. Steve smirked, yet again. And Gannen sighed before mumbling "Great. Another mad-man." Belle turned to him fast. "Mad I just might be. But _man_? I don't think so!" Gannen opened his mouth, as to answer, but obviously couldn't think of anything to say as he closed it again. That actually got both Darren _and _Steve laughing. Belle had a feeling it was long since the two had laughed at the same thing. This was probably weird for them. And, just a few seconds later, both stopped laughing as if something had bitten them. "But I want to talk to Darren alone before we go." Gannen looked like he was about to protest, but Steve cut him off. "Don't bother. Once she's made up her mind to do something, there's no way to talk her out of it." Belle smiled. So he did remember her after all.

Gannen looked a little defeated, but nodded. Belle looked at Darren, who nodded at her. They walked deeper in the forest. "Whisper. They have pretty good hearing. I don't trust them in staying there either." Belle bent forward to Darrens ear and started whispering. "You've got a" She stopped in her sentence, and pulled slightly away from Darren. Then she raised her hand to her own ear, making a fist first, then sticking out her thumb and shortest fingers. Her hand now resembled a cell phone. Darren nodded. He had bought a new one after Crepsley smashed his old one. She then let her hand fall. It wasn't until she took her hand forward and held his for a while, he realized that she had picked something up from her pocked. "You're good." He whispered. Belle just smirked. "Let's head back." Darren nodded, but saw her signs. At first she made the illusion of the cell phone again, mouthing the famous 'Call me' line. Then she raised her arm up straight again, pointing out one finger. Then she let the arm down and, yet again, raised it, straight after. This time she pointed out one finger to, but she moved the finger in a circle. Darren nodded, confirming his understanding. Cause he did understand; he was to call her one hour after they parted.

*************..*************

"Why did you ask her to come with us? It doesn't even make sense! Mr. Tiny will _kill _us!" Gannen complained. Steve groaned, before he smirked. "Maybe he'll kill you, but _me_? No way!" Gannen gave him a 'Are you serious?' look before he started complaining about how unfair everything was, before Steve cut him off "Shut up! I'm trying to listen!" Gannen did as he was told, and fell silent. Steve did everything he could to get all the words. At first he was content with himself, believing he would catch every word about to be spoken. He remembered how clever Belle were first when he realized that she didn't need to speak much. Steve groaned yet again. That was just like Belle. She was clever, beautiful and, most of all, manipulative. Before, she could always manipulate people to buy her stuff and such.

One time, when she was nine, Belle once fooled a boy named Lucas, to spend all his money for the week to buy her a book. Not a teddy bear or something girly, but a book. She kept hanging with him for another two weeks later. When Steve had asked her if it was because she felt guilty about it, she had merely smiled and said that it had been for good measure. That by hanging with him after she got what she wanted, wouldn't make him suspect anything. Steve remembered how jealous he had felt those three weeks she had spent with Lucas. That's when he first got to know Darren. As Belle and Darren returned he pretended not to be annoyed that Belle had tricked him. And Belle pretended not to be self-satisfied about fooling him, which everybody but Darren knew that she understood. Belle looked at him as he sat up an impatient face. Belle rolled her eyes, but hugged Darren as goodbye anyway. Then Darren left them with a wave. Now Steve and Gannen had Belle all to themselves.

_**A/N:**__ As much as I like this story I wonder if I should keep writing it. Nobody but mainly __christineexx__ and __I won't go down without a fight__ seems interested in it anyway. __ilovenickjayy__, __not so mysterious__ and __LivieLi__ should be mentioned too. Anybody against me stopping writing this story? Would anyone leave a review in that case then?_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:**__christineexx__, this chapter is for you. I'm glad you became happy for the dedication, so I made you a new one!_

_**Disclaimer: **__If I owned The Saga of Darren Shan I wouldn't write fanfics about it._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter **__**Ten**_

_Recap_

_Belle looked at Gannen and said "I'm going with you." Darren did understand; he was to call her one hour after they parted. Then Darren left them with a wave. Now Steve and Gannen had Belle all to themselves._

_Present_

As Belle looked him over once again, Steve felt a bit of nervousness in his stomach. Even though the feeling was so tiny it was barely there, it was still stronger than any feeling he'd had since Darren died. Maybe even before that; Steve wasn't sure. It made Steve wonder if Gannen was right; if bringing her was a bad idea. "So, you guys want to give me any clues on where we're heading?" Belle's voice only had a light cheerful tone to it. Steve had realized that this was her normal way of speaking after a while with spying on her and Darren. "I planned on actually _telling _you where we're going, but if you prefer getting clues that's alright." Steve smirked.

*************..*************

Belle could basically _feel_ his smirk. This was payback for how she tricked him in the woods with Darren, no doubt. Steve wanted to frustrate her. So, she was going to do the opposite. "Cool. Let's check who of us will solve it first!" She laughed inside. Even Gannen looked up from the path they were currently following, He had been watching anything but them the whole trip, probably trying to forget she was even there. Steve looked at her like she was a complete idiot. "Belle, we already _know_ where we're going." Just as she was about to answer, Belle noticed that the orange spot she had seen earlier among the trees was still there. It had to be moving, or they would have passed it. Belle had assumed that it was a leaf on a tree, who had come a bit to early to autumn. Obviously it wasn't. It was someone or something following them. "Exactly. Therefore you should have at least a _chance_ at winning."

When she heard a snicker, Belle knew she had been right. Somebody had been tracking them. "Who is this lovely lady you have brought with you, Leonard? She is quite beautiful, obviously clever and are of a standard you absolutely don't deserver." A man, Belle thought he was a man at least, but he might as well be a vampire or vampaneeze, with wild, orange hair stepped out of the trees. Steve scolded at just _seeing _ the man, so he had to be a vampire, Belle concluded. "Get the hell out of here, Creepy Crepsley, this is vampaneeze grounds." Steve seemed to be close to exploding with anger. Almost anybody in their right mind would have wet their pants, but this 'Creepy Crepsley' didn't even looked affected. Belle knew by then that she liked this guy. "I was merely looking for my assistant, as he has been gone for a while, and unknowingly left the vampire grounds." Belle looked at him for a while, wondering who his assistant was. "So, Leonard, have you seen Darren?" Darren? That made sense, as Darren said he was working for a pretty messed-up man. What did Darren call him again? Creples? Crap- No, his name did _not _start with 'Crap'. It was 'Crep'. Wait, Steve called him Creepy Crepsley. Crepsley! That had to be it.

Steve looked furious. "No, we haven't seen Shan, so if you don't _mind_ we-" Belle cut him off. "Yes, Darren returned to the Cirque a while ago." Crepsley raised his eyebrows at her. He looked her over, and for Belle it felt as if he was deciding weather she was trust worthy or not. When he gave a nod, Belle assumed she had been accepted. "Would you please introduce yourself to me?" Crepsley requested. He was different, this vampire. Belle smiled at him, not a smirk, but a genuine smile. "I'm Annabelle Wolf. I was previously a childhood friend of both Steve and Darren, until I was forced to leave them." Crepsley took her in for a bit more, before saying "Very well then." As he was about to leave, Belle cleared her throat. "Would you do me the pleasure of returning my favor, please?"

Crepsley turned back around to face her again, an amused expression covered his face. He looked a bit impressed actually. "My name is Larten Crepsley. I am a vampire, the one who blooded Darren in fact, and am currently Darrens teacher and guardian. I'm pleased to meet you, Annabelle." Had it been anybody else Belle would have told him to call her Belle, but she had a feeling Crepsley wouldn't do that anyway, so there was really no point in it. "Likewise." Crepsley looked impressed yet again, before he nodded. "I'll be delighted should we meet again, Annabelle." Belle smiled at him, before responding. "Farewell, Larten." Crepsley nodded at her, before again disappearing in the trees.

Steve grabbed her wrist and turned her to him. "How dare you make friends with Creepy Crepsley?" He shook her a bit, before she ripper her hands away from him. "Is it your decision who I speak to?" her voice was calm, but cold as ice. Steve backed off a bit then. "If you speak to him again I'll-" Once again Belle cut him off. "What'cha gonna do? Obviously you can't kill him, as you haven't managed to do it yet. You gonna kill me?" The question came so unexpected to Steve that he fell silent for a couple of seconds. "You should be afraid, you know." Belle looked back at him as she had continued walking alongside Gannen. "It's a long time since I've been afraid of anything."

_**A/N**__**: **__I'm still not sure if I'm going to continue this story, but I had to write a new chapter, mainly because off: __christineexx__ and __Roman23_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: **__After I published the last chapter, it took no longer than two hours before I noticed that I had a reviewer. This was at night, between three and five A.M. So, __christineexx__, do you ever sleep? I really appreciate your reviews though, I almost feels like I've gotten a fan._

_**Disclaimer: **__If I owned The Saga of Darren Shan, I would I spend my summer vacation on writing fanfics about it? No, I wouldn't. Which means, for those of you who are in lack of working brains, that I don't own anything but Belle and the plot._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_Recap_

"_Who is this lovely lady you have brought with you, Leonard?" Steve scolded at just seeing the man, so he had to be a vampire, Belle concluded. "I'm Annabelle Wolf. I was previously a childhood friend of both Steve and Darren." "My name is Larten Crepsley. I am a vampire. I'm pleased to meet you, Annabelle." "You gonna kill me?" The question came so unexpected to Steve that he fell silent for a couple of seconds. "You should be afraid, you know." Belle looked back at him as she had continued walking alongside Gannen. "It's a long time since I've been afraid of anything."_

_Present_

The rest of the trip was mostly unadventurous, the only exception was Gannen tripping over his feet once. After that Gannen had gotten a bit red in the face, so Belle knew that he was embarrassed even if he tried to not show it. Belle found it interesting studying Steve's silent side for once, as he hadn't been able to stop talking for a minute when they were children. Of course, that's along time ago, Belle realized. It wasn't weird at all that he had changed. It just felt weird for Belle, since she hadn't been able to get used to this change. Gannen had kept ignoring them the whole trip too, but Belle had long ago assumed that this was part of his character and the way he was to everyone.

Unknown to Belle, Steve normally still couldn't keep his trap shut for more than five seconds. He was just busy thinking trough what she had said to him about twenty minutes ago. Steve knew it was intended to be a side comment, but something in him had stirred when she said it. Steve still hadn't been able to figure out what or, more importantly, _why._ But he was sure that it had been something that clicked in his mind when he heard her say just that. They were almost at the vampaneeze camp, and Steve didn't have any idea what to say as to why he had brought with him this _human_ to them, since he certainly weren't going to let them suck her dry. Heck, _he_ couldn't even drink off her. He wanted her to stay alive, and it was against the vampaneeze rules to drink off a human, and then let it live. What was he thinking anyway? He had realized a while ago that he had acted on impulse. Maybe it had been a mistake, he wasn't sure. He had to bring her to Mr. Tiny first, he decided. Mr. Tiny would know what to do.

*************..*************

As they arrived at the camp, many vampaneezes came up to them to see the human girl entering their camp with Steve. The rumor must have spread like wildfire. Steve ignored them completely, and just kept on walking, leaving Belle no choice but to follow. As they entered the room Mr. Tiny spoke of as his 'office', Steve cleared his throat.

Belle took in the room Steve had led her to. It was small and white, and smelled like a dentist office. There was a brown desk filled with white papers on it. The papers were filled with something that looked like war strategies on them. Not surprising, as they technically was in a war. Behind the desk was a big white chair, big enough the hold two average sized men. Sitting in it where only one man though, even if he was very fat. He almost filled the whole chair. He barely had any hair on his head, and on his arm were something that looked like a pink watch, in the form of a heart. His clothes looked like jogging clothes. This man scared Belle, in a way. Even if he didn't exactly look like he could run up to her and beat her up, he looked like he was heartless enough to do about anything. At the same time he looked manipulative too, which only made Belle more worried. As Steve cleared his throat, the man looked up. His eyes darkened when he saw her. "Who is this, the one known as Steve?" The one known as Steve? Alright, he is probably completely sane, Belle thought sarcastically. Belle looked over at Steve, and noticed how flushed he was. Maybe he hadn't planned bringing her here anyway. "Mr. Tiny, ehh.. Yeah, this is Belle. Well, her name is Annabelle W-" The fat man, probably 'the one known as' Mr. Tiny, cut Steve off before he could continue. "Yes, Annabelle. I have expected your arrival about now." Belle just stared at him with an utterly and overall blank and emotionless expression. Steve looked like he was about to choke with surprise. He coughed a few times. "Why?" Since Steve looked just as clueless as she was, she assumed that he had not planned this, and that this wasn't the reason he brought her here. Mr. Tiny sighed. "Steve, do you not feel her energy? Do you not recognize the power that will settle the war between the vampires and the vampaneezes?"

_**A/N: **__Dun dun duh! Didn't see that one coming, did ya? Sorry for just leaving it there, especially since I won't update until about Friday. Believe it or not, I'm actually going on a real vacation, to another country! Special thanks of the month is: __christineexx!__ This is the first special thanks I've ever given to anyone, so it is, indeed, special. Oh lord, am I saying INDEED? Damn Crepsley, getting under my skin!_


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: **__christineexx:__ I have revealed your reason not to sleep as an evil plan about… What was the plan about again? Oh noooo! I forgot… This chapter is written only because of your review._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I. Don't. Own._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_Recap_

_They were almost at the vampaneeze camp, and Steve didn't have any idea what to say as to why he had brought with him this human to them. He had to bring her to Mr. Tiny first, he decided. Mr. Tiny would know what to do. "Yes, Annabelle. I have expected your arrival about now." Mr. Tiny said. Steve looked like he was about to choke with surprise. "Why?" Mr. Tiny sighed. "Steve, do you not feel her energy? Do you not recognize the power that will settle the war between the vampires and the vampaneezes?"_

_Present_

"What are you talking about?" Steve's voice got a bit high-pitched. Belle kept her blank expression glued to her face, as she did not want to give away anything. Mr. Tiny glared at Steve for a second, spoke in an utterly commanding tone. "Do not use that kind of tone on me, Steve." Watching Steve's reaction was startling and a bit horrifying to Belle, as Steve simply bowed his head down, and talked in a much quieter way. "Yes, Mr. Tiny." Had this been anybody else ordering him around, he would have told them to mind their own business or started yelling at them. Now he just obliged. That gave Belle another reason to fear this man. No one she knew could ever have kept Steve in check. The fact that this man could was rather worrying than reassuring. Belle kept her gaze straight, and still refused to make a sound. "What did you mean, is what I meant to say." Steve added in a much more controlled and calmer voice. Mr. Tiny looked at him again. Looked at him like he was useless. "Tell me, can you do anything by yourself?" Mr. Tiny growled. As much as Belle would have liked to ask him to shut up, she believed it to be smarter to do just that herself. She didn't think Steve would appreciate it too much anyway.

Steve himself looked rather embarrassed, and kind of flustered. It was as if he agreed to what Mr. Tiny said, just because it had been Mr. Tiny who said it. Another thing that made Belle a bit restless. The Steve she knew would never let anybody tell him he was useless, let along agreeing to a fat man with a pink, heart-shaped clock say it. It somehow enraged Belle, because she understood that Mr. Tiny must have been tearing at Steve's confidence for a long time to make Steve cave in to it. Inside Belle shuddered at the mere thought.

"It all stands in the prophecy. Have you read the Book of Shadows at all?" Just the way Mr. Tiny didn't even wait for an answer disgusted Belle. Not to speak about the disrespectful tone4 he spoke in at all times to Steve. When thinking about it, Belle realized that the whole man disgusted her madly. Steve looked at his feet a couple of seconds, before answering the question given him. "No. I haven't really gotten to it yet." Mr. Tiny turned around to face Steve in one aggressive move. "Youhaven't_ gotten to it? _You worthless piece of-" Just then, Belle couldn't take it anymore. She simply couldn't bear it. One of her two friends in the whole world was being talked to like this, and he didn't even flinch?

"What?" She snapped at the fat, weak man, now in front 0f her. "Worthless piece of _what?_ Speak to him like that again, and you'll regret it." Steve stared at like she was mad. He had a terrified look in his eyes, as if it was completely unnatural to do such a thing. Mr. Tiny on the other hand, only looked enraged. "Is that a threat? Are you threatening me? Do you think that you can hurt me?" The way he spoke made Belle want to scream yes, but she did as her mind told her, not her emotions. She kept her posture firmly. "Yes, this is a threat. Yes, it's pointed at you. I don't know if I _can_ hurt you, but I am not intending to, no." Steve looked even more panicked when she started speaking, but became a bit calmer when she said that she wasn't planning on hurting Mr. Tiny. "Then, what can you do that'll make me regret anything?" Mr. Tiny looked like he was humoring himself. He probably thought that she wouldn't know what to say after that. Too bad for him that he was wrong. "I can choose to _not _fulfill this prophecy of yours." Mr. Tiny gasped and clutched his heart. "You have to fulfill your destiny, Annabelle. It _is not_ your choice whether you _want to_ or not!" Belle smirked at him, ignoring Steve's pleading eyes begging her to agree with Mr. Tiny. She refused to agree with something she didn't really agree with at all. "I'll make it my choice then. It seems like my choice though. You can't force me to do something I don't want to."

It was almost funny watching Mr. Tiny look at her the way he was doing just now. He looked like a spoiled brat that didn't get what he wanted. Belle supposed that was a description of him. A spoiled brat. It fit him pretty well. "We have a dungeon. We can keep you locked in there." Mr. Tiny looked satisfied. He looked like he had just out-smarted her. Belle only smirked bigger. Steve noticed with a creeping feeling of dread that the smile lost the prior humor that had tainted it earlier. She wasn't teasing Mr. Tiny. She really meant it. Whatever she would say now would be a serious and real threat. Cause that's what Steve guessed it would be, the next thing that came out of her mouth. "Try, and I'll kill myself." Steve gulped. Belle was dead serious.

_**A/N: **_This_ will be the last chapter I write before I leave for my vacation. I, personally, blame it all on __christineexx__. It's all her fault for leaving those wonderful and nice reviewers._


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: **__Guys, guess what? The hotel I'm staying at has got a computer! And I mow remember your evil plan; __christineexx__! IT'S… It's… Damn. I forgot again. Lovely, now I have amnesia and déjà vu at the same time. I've forgotten this before!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I. Don't. Own._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

_Recap_

"_It all stands in the prophecy. Have you read the Book of Shadows at all?" Just the way Mr. Tiny didn't even wait for an answer disgusted Belle. Not to speak about the disrespectful tone he spoke in at all times to Steve. "No. I haven't really gotten to it yet." Mr. Tiny turned around to face Steve. "You haven't gotten to it? You worthless piece of-" Just then, Belle couldn't take it anymore.. "Worthless piece of what? Speak to him like that again, and you'll regret it." "Then, what can you do that'll make me regret anything?" Mr. Tiny looked like he was humoring himself. "I can choose to not fulfill this prophecy of yours." Mr. Tiny gasped and clutched his heart. "You have to fulfill your destiny, Annabelle.__ We have a dungeon. We can keep you locked in there." Steve noticed with a creeping feeling of dread that the smile lost the prior humor that had tainted it earlier. . "Try, and I'll kill myself."_

_Present_

Mr. Tiny chuckled. "You've got to be kidding me." He obviously didn't see the seriousness in Belle's eyes the way Steve did. Steve was still to dizzy to make a sound, it was pure look that he was able to breath at all. Belle gave Mr. Tiny a look cold as ice. Even Steve shuddered. "Goodbye." With that, Belle turned around in one swift motion. Steve was left just staring after her. He suddenly felt bad.

*************..*************

As Belle looked back for the fourth time, she decided that this was the last. He wasn't coming. He'd rather stay with that tyrant than coming with her. Well, then she might as well just leave at once. She then turned back, and began her pace to the unknown. It was a bit depressing really. Only when she heard footsteps behind her about ten minutes later did she turn back. "Belle! Belle, wait." She stood face to face with Steve in less than five seconds. A moment passed. But he didn't say anything else. Just as Belle opened her mouth to speak. He did start talking.

"Listen. I'm sorry Mr. Tiny said that stuff to you, and that he didn't take you seriously, but you kinda asked for it when you butted in on our conversation and-" Belle cut him off there. She wasn't interested in hearing his twisted vision of why Mr. Tiny had a right to act like that towards her. "First off, you did _not _have a conversation, he was just telling you how _useless_ he believes you to be. And I 'butted in on the conversation' because you didn't stand up for yourself! And I'm not angry with what he said to me,-" Belle walked a step closer to Steve, and stuck her finger in his chest. "I'm furious about what he said to _you_!" Steve looked her, shocked. Belle _never _lost control. It was her best asset, and now she just lost it. Steve didn't believe it had even happened before.

"Why? He always speaks like that to me, it's no big deal. He's like that to everyone." Belle narrowed her eyes at him. "No big deal? Have you seen yourself? Did you hear yourself? You talked and acted as if you _agreed _with him. As if you completely _agreed_ that you're useless. Is that what you really think?" Steve didn't understand her problem. Mr. Tiny acted like all he was were a waste of time, because that's what he were. Mr. Tiny was right, of course. Mr. Tiny was always right. Why didn't Belle understand that?

To Belle, Steve didn't need to answer. The look on his face was enough to make her understand that he _did_ agree on everything Mr. Tiny had said. He probably always agreed on everything Mr. Tiny said or did. All decisions Mr. Tiny made were what was right. Belle wanted to look away from his eyes, but kept her gaze steady anyway. She forced herself to look straight into his eyes, just as she had done earlier. Her hand was resting at Steve's chest after she had poked him.

Steve had seen Belle get a bit affected by him. Her facial expression hadn't changed, but her eyes had let emotion shine through, only for a second. The emotion he had been fast enough to catch by the many swirling in there was the main emotion. The sadness. This was the first time he had seen any sign that she was a normal person with emotions. Steve wasn't quite sure whether he liked it or not. "He really managed to brainwash you…" Belle whispered.

By that, just those six words, Steve felt an fiery rage fill his all of his being. He harshly grabbed both of her hands, and forced them up behind her, against a tree. Steve had this weird feeling that he was there, but it wasn't him doing this stuff. It was like watching a movie. "Let go!" Belle yelled, only enraging him further. One of his hands moved from her arm to her throat, while the other one shifted so he could get a grasp on both of her arms.

Belle was almost crying of the pain caused by how hard Steve was holding her against the tree. "_Say you love me." _He growled at her. "I love you." She was whimpering more than actually saying it, but Steve didn't seem to care. She realized that his hands had left her throat when she felt his fingertips brush against the soft skin on her abdomen. Now, had this been anybody else she would have screamed at however it was to get his hands off her. But it wasn't whoever; it was Steve. She dared to look up at him. He looked at her with such agony that she gave up resisting him. She simply couldn't. That's why, when he kissed her, she responded.

She kissed him fiercely, and knotted her hands in his hair. Steve leaned onwards her, and even though he was very heavy, it filled her with one of the most incredible feelings on earth. "I really love you." She hadn't meant to say that. She hadn't planned it. She just said it as a natural response at him kissing and touching her. It was completely natural. Steve immediately stiffed up. His hands drew back from their former position, and he stopped kissing her. Belle swallowed, realizing her mistake. Now she didn't dare as much as even peek up at him. She could basically feel the tension in the woods get thicker. "What?" Steve asked dumbly.

Steve cursed himself, why on earth did he do that? Realization hit Steve for once, and it hit him _hard_. He was kissing Belle. He hadn't given her a choice. He had pushed her harshly against the tree, and then pressed his lips roughly at her. She hadn't stood a chance.

Belle was so angry, she could've punched her fist right trough the wall. 'What?' Was he a complete idiot? Now she had the guts to look up at him. She was prepared to slap him. That is, she was ready to slap him; until she saw the look in his eyes. It was a look full of pain and fear. "I-I'm so-sorry." He muttered. Belle looked at him again. All his features were masked with remorse. This was the first time since they were kids that she saw any signs of regret for anything in him. She caught his gaze, before standing on her tip-toes, and kissed him softly.

_**A/N: **__Well, it feels good to finally be done with this part. I know it was a bit over-dramatic, but this part was basically written before I started on the first chapter. So, I'm happy I'm done with it. Well, that's it. See ya!_


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: **__I'm changing the details a bit. As you see, everybody know Steve is the Vampaneeze Lord, and Crepsley is still alive. Steve won't pretend to be a Vampaneeze Hunter._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I. Don't. Own. Anything. Today. Either._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_Recap_

_Steve felt an fiery rage fill his all of his being. Belle was almost crying of the pain caused by how hard Steve was holding her against the tree. "Say you love me." He growled at her. "I love you." When he kissed her, she responded. "I really love you." Steve immediately stiffed up. His hands drew back from their former position, and he stopped kissing her. "I-I'm so-sorry." He muttered, all his features were masked with remorse. She caught his gaze, before standing on her tip-toes, and kissed him softly._

_Present_

Once she stopped, just about a second later, he looked her in the eyes. "Sorry." His voice was about back to normal now. Belle nodded. She watched him turn around, and run away. He ran fast, faster than possible for a human. Belle knew he wouldn't come back. She had to get in touch with Darren. Steve couldn't manage her now. When she kissed him, she had become commitment. And Steve couldn't, especially not now, handle commitment. She had known so before she kissed him too, but she found this better than the option of him hating himself for it.

Belle walked in the woods for some minutes, before a certain vampire came up to her. "Well hallo, Larten. What do I owe this pleasure?" Mr. Crepsley smiled politely at her, before she answered her own question with a guess. "You've been watching me?" Mr. Crepsley looked a bit taken off guard, but he quickly got over it. "Yes, for a while." Belle looked at him for a second, waiting for him to continue, before deciding that he wouldn't. "Why didn't you come up to me right away?" Mr. Crepsley looked around for a minute, checking that nobody were tracking them probably. "I had to be certain that you weren't with Leonard." Belle could see Mr. Crepsleys lips twitch a bit when speaking off Steve. But she didn't hear any venom in his voice, which she knew he was hiding for her.

"I'm assuming that you aren't, considering that your walking around in the woods." Belle nodded, he was right. She was relived that Mr. Crepsley hadn't seen Steve before he left, let along what they had been doing. "Would you like to come with me to the Cirque?" Belle smiled thankful at Mr. Crepsley. "Yes, that would be pleasant, Larten." Belle replied, using a word she recently heard from Mr. Crepsley herself.

*************..*************

Steve had been running for quite some time when he realized just where he'd left Belle. He had left her in the middle of the vampaneezes haunting mark. He had turned around reluctant. When he had gotten to about where he left her though, he saw her, with _Creepy Crepsley._ He growled inside, but kept still as they slowly walked away. He now hated the vampire.

*************..*************

Belle and Mr. Crepsley arrived at the Cirque fifty minutes later. Darren ran up to them. "Took you long enough! I was worried!" Mr. Crepsley looked at him like he had just asked why his name just _had _to be Darren. "Well, I suppose it would have gone a lot faster had we not talked so much." Darren just gaped at her, especially when Crepsley nodded. "You _talked_ so much?" He looked back at forth between them a couple of times before he massaged his temples. He then walked off, mumbling about getting some pain killers for his headache. Belle snickered. Crepsley smiled for a second before saying. "I'll go inform Mr. Tall that you're here." Belle nodded, though she had no idea who 'Mr. Tall' was. She sat down on a bench outside a orange tent, and looked around.

A boy with scales instead of skin approached her. She smiled at him, not quite sure what to do. "Hey. I'm Evra Von, you're the new girl, right?" Belle smiled back. "No, I'm the new _boy_!" She smiled the whole time to let him know that she was kidding. He laughed loudly. Belle looked at him, a bit confused. When his laughter finally died down he explained himself. "Sorry. You see, other people asks me Evra Von what or starts freaking out because of my scales, while you just make a joke. It's kind off reliving and unexpected." Belle smiled at him once again. "My name is Belle." Evra smirked at her. "Yeah, I know. You're the only person coming here Crepsley's ever complimented before getting to know them." Belle smiled at him again. "The real reason I'm here though, is that Mr. Tall want to make you come to his tent." Belle looked at him. "You want to follow me?" Evra looked considering at her for a moment, like she had asked him on a date. "Why?" Belle smiled at him apologizing, before explaining further. "Well, I don't exactly know the way." It looked like Evra understood, and he actually blushed a bit. "Sure." He then started walking in the opposite direction from where Belle had come from. When they finally came to a stop, Belle had realized that the Cirque was _enormous. _"In there." Evra pointed to an opening in the big, green tent. Belle walked right inside. She wasn't nervous at all. It was just another place. If she didn't get to stay here, she would have to leave.

_**A/N: **__This is a chapter that will be split in two pieces. There is a warning for what is planned to all Crepsley fans out there about what'll happen in the next one though; it won't be pretty. Be aware when you read that something _terrible _will happen. That's about it. I'll start writing the next chapter now, but it's not sure whether or not I'll finish it. So, what do you think about Belle coming to the Cirque?_


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N: **__No comment._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I. Don't. Own. Anything. Today. Either._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

_Recap_

_Belle watched him turn around, and run away. She knew he wouldn't come back. "Would you like to come with me to the Cirque?" Belle smiled thankful at Mr. Crepsley. "Yes, that would be pleasant, Larten." Belle replied. Steve growled inside, but kept still as Belle and Creepy Crepsley slowly walked away. He now hated the vampire. Belle and Mr. Crepsley arrived at the Cirque fifty minutes later. "Mr. Tall want to make you come to his tent." Belle looked at Evra. "In there." Evra pointed to an opening in the big, green tent. Belle walked right inside. She wasn't nervous at all._

_Present_

As she stepped inside she knew that a conversation had been silenced for her arrival. The tension hung tick in the air, and the two men in the room were silent. Crepsley sat in one chair the tent roomed, with a frustrated expression crossing his face. In the other chair was the man Belle assumed to be Mr. Tall. He fit his name perfectly, as his knees pressed against the same table that Crepsley leaned his elbow. Mr. Tall looked at her with skepticism filling his features. Crepsley introduced her when the silence became suffocating. "This is Annabelle, a dear friend of Darren, and a acquaintance of me." Mr. Tall still didn't say anything. "This is the human you've brought to my Cirque?" He finally spoke. Crepsley merely nodded.

Mr. Tall turned to her. "What will you do if I don't accept you?" Belle was planning to nod, but found it more proper to speak up. "I'll leave. If you don't want me here, there's no reason for me to stay." Mr. Tall eyes her suspiciously. "Where would you go?" Belle decided to tell the truth for once. "I don't know. But I'll figure it out." Mr. Tall looked less than impressed. "How can you be sure of that?" Belle refused to let him talk to her like she was a liar, cause at the moment she was actually not laying. "I've been living on the run for three years now. I've gotten the hang if it." Mr. Tall threw a surprised glanze at Crepsley before nodding. "Alright then. You can stay. Crepsley will show you around and-" Just then Darren came running in. He didn't speak at once, occupied with catching his breath. Belle could see how pale he was though. "What is it, Darren?" Crepsley actually sounded concerned for Darren. "St-teve has-s in-v-vited us-s-s to-to fi-fight with h-h-h-im some-meplace und-de-derground." Mr. Tall raised up. Crepsley repeated Darren. "Steve invited us to fight with him some-place underground?" Darren nodded.

"When?" Crepsley demanded. "Now." Darren, who now could speak and stand properly, answered. "Where?" Darren took a piece of paper from his pocket. Belle guessed that it was an address, since Crepsley immediately said. "Let's go."

It turned out to be only Crepsley and Darren who was invited to fight, but Evra and Belle tagged along anyway. The whole group seemed a bit nervous, and the walk was silent until they came to a pipe. There everybody got even more nervous, so everybody made silly small-talk. The pipe was pitch black, so Belle clung to Crepsley to not trip. Evra obviously had the same idea, as he clung to Darren.

"Thanks." Belle whispered in Crepsleys ear as a light started to show in the pipe. Crepsley just smiled at her. Once they moved to the light they came out of the tunnel. The sight that met them were first a flat floor. There was something that reminded Belle of a tower after about twenty feet. On the top of the tower was Steve and Gannen. Once they'd stepped inside the open room, fire spread behind them, giving them non escape.

"The fight begins now-wait! Why are they here?" Gannen yelled, pointing at Belle and Evra. Evra whispered to her. "This was a bad idea." Belle just nodded. Steve scolded at Gannen, then he repeated his former statement. "The fight begins now!" Down from the tower it was hung down a rope. Gannen swung himself down from it, before heading over to Crepsley. "You start!" Crepsley did as he was told, and claimed up the rope with an enormous speed.

As he got to the top he jumped after Steve. Steve ran out of his way. "Belle, look!" Evra exclaimed. Belle looked down, and saw that it was something that looked like a first floor under them. The floor was filled with sharp sticks. Belle stared at them, before realizing that the fight was about to trying to get the other to fall down. Fall down to certain death on all the sticks.

After a while Crepsley got the upper hand. Belle didn't realize exactly what happened until Crepsley threw Steve down over the edge. Steve would die. Belle kept her eyes opened. She refused to miss what was about to happen. She felt genuinely sick. She had felt like this since the fight had started.

As Steve flew over the edge Belle felt like throwing up. When Steve flew right up again, he grabbed Crepsley by his shoulders. Crepsley didn't even have the time to react. Steve dragged Crepsley with him over the edge.

As Steve stopped going down about halfway down, Crepsley continued to fall. He hit the stick-covered ground with a sickening _splash._

*************..*************

Belle didn't know exactly what happened after that. Darren had started shaking, Evra had been crying, Gannen had looked a bit uncomfortable, and Steve had smirked. Belle had vague memories of running trough the tunnel. She had kept running to she had fallen over. She hadn't cared. Once she had crashed in the ground she stayed there. She sat up right, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She didn't have any idea where she was, nor did she care. She didn't cry. She refused to. There was no doubt. It wouldn't change what had happened anyway. Crepsley was dead.


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: **__Now that I'm done with killing people I'm much more comfortable writing this._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

_Recap_

"_You can stay. Crepsley will show you around and-" Just then Darren came running in. Crepsley repeated Darren. "Steve invited us to fight with him some-place underground?" Darren nodded. Crepsley immediately said. "Let's go." It turned out to be only Crepsley and Darren who was invited to fight, but Evra and Belle tagged along anyway. As Steve flew over the edge Belle felt like throwing up. When Steve flew right up again, he grabbed Crepsley by his shoulders. Crepsley didn't even have the time to react. Steve dragged Crepsley with him over the edge. As Steve stopped going down about halfway down, Crepsley continued to fall. He hit the stick-covered ground with a sickening splash. Belle had vague memories of running trough the tunnel. She had kept running to she had fallen over. Crepsley was dead._

_Present_

Belle just sat like that. She didn't rise up. Why should she? Crepsley was freaking dead. Steve killed him. Crepsley is dead. Steve killed Crepsley. Belle couldn't make it fit. Steve killed Crepsley. Steve killed Crepsley on purpose. He had planned it. He had freaking planned it. Maybe he already had planned it when he kissed her. This time Belle did throw up.

*************..*************

She must've fallen asleep sometime that night. She had nightmares the whole time. Most of them were plagued by Crepsley walking against her slowly. He had a stick straight trough his forehead, and blood dripping down his face and neck. Once she got up Belle recognized the woods she was in. It was in the same path she had met Crepsley and he'd followed her to the Cirque. With a shock, Belle realized that this in fact was yesterday. Belle shook her head to clear her thoughts. There were threes everywhere, obviously, as she was in a forest.

On their way to the Cirque Crepsley had told her what was the trick with this path; it went in a circle. No matter which way you went you would eventually end up at the Cirque. One place in the path the Cirque rested just barley in sight from the path. If you followed it and watched out the whole time, you couldn't miss the Cirque.

So, Belle did as Crepsley had told her; she followed the path and kept her eyes opened. After just about five minutes, the Cirque became visible for her. She took a deep breath. She made up her mind. She was never going to let anyone close to her ever again. Once she cared for someone they died like freaking flies. Her face drew blank. She almost looked dead. You could've accidentally assumed her dead, had she not been moving. She then resumed her walking.

*************..*************

As she arrived at the Cirque, Evra came to greet her. Judging by the way he looked he had been waiting for her the whole nigh. He's scales were pale green, and his eyes were bloodshot. He had tired wrinkles under his eyes, his lips were so dry that they were bleeding. When he came towards her it looked more like he was dragging his feet's than walking. The worried look still hadn't been able to remove itself from his face, but it was accompanied by a scowl and the permanent sad look everybody wore.

"Where the hell have you been?" The question came out harshly, and his voice was hoarse. He sounded like he had been crying a lot. He probably had. "I've been on the path. I feel asleep." His scowl softened a bit, and the concern was toning down quite a bit too. He looked relived that she came back at all. "Do you want anything to eat?" Belle shook her head. She was positive she wouldn't be able to hold any food down. Evra's brows knit together in newfound worry. "Have you eaten while you were away?" Belle shook her head again. She had gotten rid of some food, but he surely didn't need to know that.

"We haven't seen you in fourteen hours, as you ran off at eight P.M., and it's now,-" Evra checked his watch "Thirty minutes past ten. That's fourteen and a half hour. When did you eat for the last time, cause you were here in at least an forty-five minutes before we went to-" Evra cut himself off, not wanting to name the place Crepsley's death had happened.

Belle thought about his point though. She had met Darren for the first time after those seven years away the day before yesterday night. That meant it had been twenty-four hours since she last ate yesterday night. If you say that those twenty-four hours had gone when they left to find Steve you could put that together with the fifteen hours since then. Then you had thirty-nine hours of not eating. And Belle wasn't even hungry.

After she didn't respond for some minutes, Evra realized that she probably wouldn't ever. "Anything to drink, then?" His eyes were pleading her to say yes. When she thought about it, she felt rather thirsty. "Sure." She smiled at him to get back a bit of the easy and joking relationship she had with him before all this happened. Thirty minutes after she met him, then. Evra walked off, and signalized to follow him. After a while they walked up to a blue tent. They walked inside, Evra first and Belle walking quietly after.

Once they got in Darren called them over to the table he was sitting at with a girl with dark hair and chocolate-brown skin. She was beautiful, in a Plane-Jane kind of way. She wasn't sweet, more pretty and elegant. She seemed to have some guts though. Belle liked her. The girl smiled at her. "Hey, I'm Debbie. You're Belle right?" The girl stuck her hand out. Belle shook it. "Yeah, I'm Belle. Nice to meet you." Belle smiled back. "Belle, where have you been?" Darren's nice and caring tone was reduced, and a more depressed and emotionless tone had taken it's place. Belle didn't like it one bit. They were all falling apart. She had to fix this. She just had to. She couldn't let them stay this way. She needed to do _something_. She just had to figure out what.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: **__So… I've kinda lost track of what to do again…_

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

_Recap_

_As she arrived at the Cirque, Evra came to greet her. Judging by the way he looked he had been waiting for her the whole nigh. He's scales were pale green, and his eyes were bloodshot. He had tired wrinkles under his eyes, his lips were so dry that they were bleeding. They were all falling apart. She had to fix this. She just had to. She couldn't let them stay this way. She needed to do something. She just had to figure out what. "Hey, I'm Debbie. You're Belle right?" The girl stuck her hand out. Belle shook it. "Yeah, I'm Belle. Nice to meet you." Belle smiled back._

_Present_

Belle and Evra sat down beside Darren and Debbie. Belle found it interesting how their names were so much alike. After Belle had drunken up her glass of milk and her glass of water that Evra had forced her to take, and telling Darren making him worried too, she suggested that everybody went to bed, or coffins, for a couple of hours, and see if they felt better afterwards. Nobody disagreed, and everyone seemed delighted with the idea of sleep.

As Mr. Tall hadn't given Belle a tent, and they didn't want to disturb him now when he was mourning his friend, Belle shared one with Officer Alice and Debbie. Both were really nice, but Belle personally liked Alice the most. She could relate to her a bit, as they were both a bit reluctant to talk about their feelings and such, while Debbie didn't have much trouble even crying in front of them. But, after Debbie's crying, the girls finally fell asleep.

This sleep was too, just like the one from night yesterday and to this morning, filled with terrible nightmares. They were still filled with Crepsley walking around dead, but this time her capturer from years ago made an appearance too. Funny how much he looked like someone she knew...

*************..*************

Mr. Tiny sighed contently as he rubbed hi stomach. He was in his white chair in his office. Crepsley was dead, and Annabelle probably hated Steve now. That was the main reason Mr. Tiny had told Steve to kill him. Of course, he had to keep back his intentions for making the plan, as the results. It wasn't because of the disrespectful way Annabelle had acted to him. Of course not, it was all part of destiny. It would have happened eventually. He just helped it along.

**************..*************

Belle woke up to Alice shaking her. Debbie was waiting for them in the doorway. Belle sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?" Alice looked like she was the one who would answer, since Debbie was almost crying. "We're having something like a funeral for Crepsley." Belle just nodded and got up. No one would be dressed up she predicted, as they didn't really have black clothes. Maybe they weren't supposed to dress in black anyway? Belle didn't know the rules for people's second funeral. Maybe it was like a wedding? In your second wedding you should wear a black dress in stead of a white one. Maybe they were supposed to wear white clothes? Belle shook her head. It didn't matter anyway.

Debbie and Darren held hands as they walked over to where the funeral would take place. Alice walked close to Belle, and Evra walked by the side of them. Everybody was drying their cheeks the whole time. The only ones who kept their eyes dry were Alice and Belle. Even Mr. Tall was spotted with a tear rolling down his cheek.

After the ceremony everybody went to the big tent. There they got some food and something to drink, and spent the rest of the night retelling stories of Crepsley. Things he had done and said and things someone had heard he had said or done. After that people went to bed once again.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: **__Just so we're clear; __I WILL __**NOT**__ MAKE__** BELLE **__AND__** DARREN**__ DATE._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

_As Mr. Tall hadn't given Belle a tent, so she shared one with Officer Alice and Debbie. . Belle sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?" Alice looked like she was the one who would answer, since Debbie was almost crying. "We're having something like a funeral for Crepsley." Belle just nodded and got up. After the ceremony everybody went to the big tent. There they got some food and something to drink, and spent the rest of the night retelling stories of Crepsley. Things he had done and said and things someone had heard he had said or done. After that people went to bed once again._

_Present_

As Belle once again woke up, it was morning. The tent she shared with Alice and Debbie was filled with light. The sun probably shone brightly outside. Belle looked over to where Debbie and Alice had their beds. They were both still asleep. Debbie was mumbling something incomprehensible in her sleep, while Alice was moving her hands as if she was pulling the trigger of a gun.

Belle assumed Alice was dreaming of shooting Steve. Belle understood her hatred for him. Belle herself was feeling rather indefinite about her own feelings for Steve. In all those years she had been forced to live alone, thoughts of him and Darren had kept her sane and alive. To process what he had done to Larten was therefore difficult to Belle.

But she hated not to have her own emotions in check, she had just gotten them back after many years without them, and she could already see why she had gotten rid of them in the first place. They were only disadvantages.

What had Steve been thinking anyway? What was he hoping to gain by this? It didn't even make sense, Belle decided. One thing would have been if anybody _told_ him this would benefit him, but it was as good as impossible that he had made up this plan all by himself. Because it had to be a plan; Steve wouldn't have killed a vampire with a trick like that otherwise. Belle would have understood if anybody had told him.

_If anybody had told him… _As those thoughts went through Belle's head, it finally hit her. The question that could make all of this make some sort of sense. What if somebody _had _told him? One name reached Belle's consciousness.

Mr. Tiny.

Belle growled to herself. Mr. Tiny was to blame for all of this. Belle turned on her heel, and headed to Darren and Evra's tent. The fact that they were still most likely sleeping was rather irrelevant in Belle's opinion at the moment. If they were sleeping they had to get up. Right now.

Just a minute later she was standing outside Darren and Evra's tent. Her anger had made her walk faster than she normally would. Had she been any angrier, she probably would have been running. Belle knew there would be no point in knocking on the tent, so she called out to Darren instead. "Darren! Wake up!" She waited a moment before she decided that he hadn't heard her. As she was about to yell again, she heard movements from inside the tent.

She then waited. A minute later Darren poked his head out of the tent. His eyes were half-closed and unfocused, and his face was expressionless. When the tent material moved a bit, Belle could see that he was shirtless. "What?" He mumbled, it sounded more like a random word than a question. "I know why Steve killed Larten." He didn't react in any way before seven seconds had gone by. Then his eyes widened. They looked about as big as saucers, and his breathing hitched. "W-why?" He was now obviously much more awake by now.

"Maybe we should take this in a while? When you're properly dressed?" They both looked at each other as Belle used the word 'properly'. It reminded them both of Crepsley. Darren nodded in agreement to her request. He obviously understood that it would change things.

*************..*************

Belle went to the big tent and sat down by one of the tables there. Darren must've heard the urgency in her voice, since he was there just four minutes later. He looked expectant at her, which was just natural when she had woken him up at whatever time it was.

"It wasn't Steve's idea to kill Larten." Darren raised his eyebrows at her. He was about to argue, but Belle talked again before he could. "I know how unbelievable that sounds, trust me. But think about it. How would Steve be able to make a plan like that on his own?" Darren opened his mouth to object, but closed it again before a sound came out.

"Who do you suppose made the plan then?" Darren opened his mouth again; this time with a good question. Just because Belle found the answer obvious that didn't mean Darren would. Darren probably hadn't seen the way Steve acted around Mr. Tiny.

"Well, who do you know that has bad enough sense of humor and a way with _destiny_?" It was just as if someone had light a fire in Darren's eyes. Realization hit him. He nodded slowly to acknowledge his agreement. He was unable to speak.

*************..************

Darren and Belle gathered all the freaks together a couple of hours later, when most people were already awake, so they would not have to wake up so many. The freaks at the Cirque had a tendency to get grumpy if you woke them up. It was better to let them wake up by themselves. When the real man (or whatever Mr. Tiny was) behind the murder were presented to them, many got angry. However, that was what Darren and Belle had expected.

Even though several of the freaks volunteers to go out and kill Steve (since they can't kill Mr. Tiny), Belle tells Darren that she wants to at least talk to him first, She doesn't really want to talk to him after what he did, but if they're going to kill him she won't get another chance.

So after eating her dinner at the Cirque and saying good bye to everyone in case something should happen to her, she goes to sleep yet again. Since she went to bed as early as 07:15 P.M. she wakes up so early that no one else is awake. The sun had just come high enough up on the sky so that sunlight shone brightly. Belle had packed a bag of food and water at dinner the day before, and was ready to leave once she had dressed herself. An extra jacket had been placed in the bag, along with clothes she could change to.

She was ready to go.

*************..*************

As Belle walked around in the forest, she wondered whether Steve would actually find her or not. It was a large forest, and Steve would probably be busy at the vampaneeze's territory. If she were really unlucky one of his _friends_ would show up and eat her before she had even gotten a chance to _see _Steve.

Her bag were currently swaying on her back, her shoes was making footprints in the uneven mud. Her walk was calm and patient, the way she walked made it look like the whole world, and that that was an absolute and obvious fact.

*************..*************

She is unaware of the man following her until he steps forward in the middle of her trail. Belle would have passed him as normal, had he not had the same crimson color in his eyes that Steve had. The man smiled politely at her. "Are you lost?" He asked sounding awfully friendly. He was planning to drink her blood and drain her. "No. I'm looking for someone like you, actually." The man looked baffled, and then feigned a look of total curiousness. "Like me? What do you mean?" Belle smirked.

"Blood-sucking vampaneezes. If I were you, I wouldn't drain me. I don't think Steve will be happy with you if you do that." As she finished the first sentence of her comment the man looked completely shocked. He was able to compose himself a bit throughout the second, but quickly lost it again after hearing her mentioning Steve's name.

"How do you know Steve?" The man asked, dropping his act completely. He looked a bit panicked, but Belle didn't mind. "My name is Belle. He may have mentioned me?" The man merely nodded. He mumbled the order, but it wasn't so surprising. "Follow me."

*************..*************

_**A/N: **__This is the first meeting we've had with RV. I thought it was about time to introduce him. And Belle realized that Mr. Tiny was the real playmaker surrounding Crepsley's death. So, how do you think the talk with Steve will go? This is the longest chapter yet, with __1.540 __words!_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: **__… I basically got nothing to say._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

_What had Steve been thinking anyway? One thing would have been if anybody told him this would benefit him, but it was as good as impossible that he had made up this plan all by himself. If anybody had told him… As those thoughts went through Belle's head, it finally hit her. What if somebody had told him? Mr. Tiny.__ later Darren poked his head out of the tent. "It wasn't Steve's idea to kill Larten." Darren raised his eyebrows at her. "Who do you suppose made the plan then?" "Well, who do you know that has bad enough sense of humor and a way with destiny?" Belle told Darren that she wants to at least talk to Steve first. She doesn't really want to talk to him after what he did, but if they're going to kill him she won't get another chance. She was ready to go._

_She was unaware of the man following her until he steps forward in the middle of her trail. Belle would have passed him as normal, had he not had the same crimson color in his eyes that Steve had. "Are you lost?" The man asked. . "No. I'm looking for someone like you, actually." The man looked baffled, and then feigned a look of total curiousness. "Like me? What do you mean?" Belle smirked. _

"_Blood-sucking vampaneezes. If I were you, I wouldn't drain me. I don't think Steve will be happy with you if you do that." "Follow me."_

_Present_

Belle and RV (as her guide was named) had gone for a long time, and in result she knew considerably more about him. He was a vampaneeze (obviously), and had once been a friend of Darren (which was just plain weird), but now hated his guts (weirder). He was in lack of one arm, and had a hook there instead. He claimed that the loss of his hand was Darren's fault. Belle was fairly sure that he was a bit insane. In other words; he had lost it completely.

Belle had more than once called him Captain Hook, and gotten yelled at for it. That hadn't crushed her spirit at all, rather the opposite. RV had actually noticed this, and stopped yelling at her; which was exactly what Belle had wanted.

Within an hour (since RV was _bad_ with directions and got them lost a couple of times) they were back to the vampaneeze camp. This time the staring at her was worse. One person that could only be described as a _thing _(as he was not a vampaneeze, but not a normal person either), had walked over to them and asked RV what Belle was doing there, and glared at her the whole time.

"She wanted to see Steve." Was the answer the thing had gotten. It was more vampaneezes (or things, as it was more of them, and they were all balled with many tattoos) than it had been the last time she was at the camp. Steve's collecting warriors, was her conclusion.

Since RV didn't have much spear time (as he had to go hunting again, since he couldn't eat/drink Belle), he rushed her trough the camp. Once they got outside Mr. Tiny's 'office' RV told Belle to just walk in, while he went to go get Steve.

Belle did as she was told, and walked inside. She didn't bother with knocking, as she frankly didn't care if she walked in on Mr. Tiny doing something personal. Disappointing enough, Mr. Tiny was just behind his desk, doing nothing in particular. He didn't even glance up when she entered. "Hello Annabelle." Belle growled. There was only one person that was allowed to call her that; and that person was dead. "It's Belle." Mr. Tiny glanced up at her. "I prefer to call you by your whole name." Belle inwardly rolled her eyes. "Call me Belle, or omit to call me anything at all." Mr. Tiny clenched his hands to fists.

Right then Steve entered. His eyes widened when he saw her. "Belle?" He took some seconds to compose himself. "What are you doing here?" Belle looked at him. It was harder seeing him and knowing that someone were planning to kill him this instant than she had expected. Again these disadvantages called feelings complicated things for her.

Belle turned completely to face Steve from her position against Mr. Tiny. "I was hoping to talk to you." When Steve didn't catch the meaning of her words, Belle sighed, before adding one single word. "Alone?" Steve studied her facial expression for a second, before nodding. Mr. Tiny scolded, but either Steve ignored it, or he really didn't hear it.

Steve walked out the door again. Belle followed him, and soon they were out in the woods once again. Normally Belle believed Steve would have asked her something like whether she was here to tell him something, or because she couldn't stay away. He didn't.

Not that it surprised her, as tired as he looked. His eyes had purple circles around them, he was paler than normal, and even his eyes were a duller red than normal. The only thing he asked was. "What's up?" He even spoke tiredly. Belle was positive that it was Mr. Tiny's fault.

"You're in trouble." Belle decided to keep it simple, so she wouldn't ruin it if they had to kill him. He didn't understand simple. He never had. "I've kinda realized that!" He snarled at her. He misapprehended her; he thought she was just rubbing it in. "No, you're-" He cut her off. "I get it, okay? I screwed up!" He was now really yelling at her, as he was taking steps closer to her. With all that rage considered, he was probably taking out all his frustration from Mr. Tiny and everything else on her, right now.

"_No_, I mean you're in _real_ big trouble." The comment didn't seem to calm him, rather the opposite. "I've heard! I know you hate me! I know that me killing your little friend made you pissed, okay?" Belle shook her head. Then she laughed. There was nothing even remotely alike humor in her voice.

"Okay. Alright. Well, I tried." She turned away from Steve, prepared to leave again. His response to hearing just how low down she was right now immediately calmed him. "Now I don't have to feel bad when they kill you." As a reaction to hearing her words, Steve grabbed her wrist and pulled her back so she faced him.

"Kill me? What are you talking about, Belle?" His voice got a bit softer when he said her name, and he's eyes shone with such wonder that Belle simply had to warm up a bit. "They're planning to kill you." She refused to look in his eyes, as she knew she would cave and try to save him then. "Why?"

Realization dawned down on Steve. "Because of Crepsley? But that's not…" Belle swallowed. His voice sounded so little. So innocent. She wasn't sure if she could bear this. "He's using you." Belle bit her lip. Steve looked down at her, without being able to catch her gaze. "Who? Who's using me, Belle?" This time her name was even softer spoken, as if he knew that she was trying to save him now.

"Mr. Tiny." Her voice scolded a little automatically when speaking that certain name. Steve looked downcast. "He's using you. He's been using you all along." When Steve didn't answer, Belle lost her self control for a second. Belle ripped herself away from Steve and didn't have any problem with looking in his eyes now.

"This was his plan, wasn't it? What did he tell you? Did he tell you that I would _hate_ you, or did he forget to mention it?" Steve looked up suddenly. His face was masked with hurt, and his eyes looked like a kicked puppy's. He turned away and was about to walk off when she called after him.

"I don't. Hate you, I mean. But I can bet you anything that Mr. Tiny thought I would. This was his plan to get rid of me." As Steve turned back to her, he noticed the tears glistening from Belle's cheeks. "You killed one of the two friends I had in the world. Then I try to save you so that my friend's friends won't kill you. Yet you don't even believe me." Noticing her own tears Belle quickly damned herself. "Damn. I haven't cried in five freaking years."

She was slightly shaking, and Steve had a strong urge to walk over to her and keep her in his arms. Just as he decided that he should believe her, she turned away. Then she ran. She ran so fast she could. She had to get away. She _couldn't_ bear this.

First when he looked after her, did Steve realize that Belle was running away from him. If he let her go now, she would never come back. Then he would have to let go of her. He would lose her. Again.

He suddenly became aware of his own, new-formed tears. He sighed deeply.

*************..*************

_**A/N: **__This part was rather hard to write… But, heck, it was fun too!_


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: **__The twntyth chapter! Yay! Dedicated to: christineexx!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

_Within an hour they were back to the vampaneeze camp. Once they got outside Mr. Tiny's 'office' RV told Belle to just walk in, while he went to go get Steve. Mr. Tiny was just behind his desk__. "Hello Annabelle." Belle growled. "Call me Belle, or omit to call me anything at all." Mr. Tiny clenched his hands to fists. Right then Steve entered. His eyes widened when he saw her. "Belle? What are you doing here?" "I was hoping to talk to you. Alone?" Steve nodded, and walked out the door. Belle followed him, and soon they were out in the woods. "What's up?" He spoke tiredly. Belle was positive that it was Mr. Tiny's fault. "You're in trouble." Belle tried to keep it simple. He didn't understand simple. He never had. "I've heard! I know you hate me! I know that me killing your little friend made you pissed, okay?" Belle shook her head. Then she laughed. There was nothing alike humor in her voice. "Now I don't have to feel bad when they kill you." "Kill me? Why? Because of Crepsley? But…" Steve's voice sounded small. "This was his plan, wasn't it? What did he tell you? Did he tell you that I would hate you, or did he forget to mention it?" Steve looked up suddenly. His face was masked with hurt. "I don't. Hate you, I mean. But I can bet you anything that Mr. Tiny thought I would. This was his plan to get rid of me." As Steve turned back to her, he noticed the tears on Belle's cheeks. "You killed one of the two friends I had in the world. Then I try to save you so that my friend's friends won't kill you. Yet you don't even believe me." Noticing her own tears Belle damned herself. "Damn. I haven't cried in five freaking years." Then she ran. She ran so fast she could. She couldn't bear this. Steve realized that he would lose her. Again. He suddenly became aware of his own, new-formed tears. He sighed deeply._

_Present_

Then Steve got a hold of himself. There was no way he'd let her run out of his life once more. He had just barely been able to cope with it the first time; he wasn't sure if he's survive a second. He ran after her. He had to. With his vampaneeze speed, it didn't take long. But he had to admit, to be human she had come pretty far. He could tell by the way she moved her body that she wasn't running away from just_ him_, she was running away from Crepsley's death, and every other tragedy in her life. He didn't have any idea of what to say to her once he stopped her. He just knew he had to stop her. He let her run for a while, until she slowed down out of need.

Once her speed went down, Belle stopped completely. Her breathing was ragged, and her chest heaved painfully high. Her vision was a blur; she probably wouldn't have noticed if anyone stood right in front of her. She felt a bit better now, even though the little food she actually had eaten worked hard to come up. She had gotten rid at most of her frustration. She kind of regretted that she ran away; but she couldn't really change it now. She took a quick look around. She had to look again to be sure, but her first look turned out to be right; Steve was standing right by her, leaning on a tree.

"Missed me?" Some of his old humor was back, obviously. Hadn't Belle been so busy trying to keep her breakfast down, she probably would have laughed in spite of herself. She walked over to him. If he wanted to pretend nothing happened, so could she. When she was some poor inches away from him, she stopped, teasing him. Then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Not half as much as you've missed me." Seeing him shiver at her breath against his ear was refreshing. She enjoyed knowing that she still had that effect on him.

Steve himself merely treasured this moment. Treasuring memories wasn't usually his apartment, but it was different when he was with Belle. She had a way of disappearing unexpectedly; and if you didn't have any memories when her then, you wouldn't get any at all. Looking back at her, he smirked. "You must've missed me a heck of a lot, then." Steve knew he gave away the fact that he missed her badly. He just didn't care. In a way he actually _wanted_ her to know. Maybe she would stay then. He saw Belle bite her lip out of the corner of his eye. He knew she'd rather have no connections, just like him normally, but he hoped she cared about him just enough so that she couldn't pretend not to.

He knew it was a long shot, especially when it came to Belle, but he still hoped. It felt strange and foreign to feel _hope_ again. Hope usually just led to disappointment, so he had eventually stopped feeling it. At first he had forced himself to not feel excitement to something in the future, but after a while it had started to feel natural.

Belle had been completely silent for a while, something that was extremely out of character for her. Steve turned his head so he could look at her properly. She was still biting her lips, and she stared out in space. Steve had a feeling that nobody else would be able to see what Belle was looking at. Steve sighed, taking this as rejection.

"Belle? Belle, you don't have to answer. Just forget I said something at all, okay?" Steve shook Belle's shoulders, which broke her out of her thoughts. He had caught her completely off guard. He had actually managed to shock her. In all honesty, she didn't _want _to be so effected by his words. But she was. She had known that it could never be something _like that_ between them, but now it didn't seem like that anymore. Now it seemed more _subjective_. Belle had been about to blow him off, to tell him it was impossible, and to reason why. When she couldn't come up with as many reasons as she had expected, she had realized that the reason she was refusing him was far more personal.

She was scared. She was scared that he would hurt her, scared that he would get hurt, that he would kill someone, that someone would kill him, that she would become attached to him, and that he would leave her in one way or another. Just like she had left him. For once in her life, Belle felt pure guilt wash over her. She had never felt guilt only before. She usually felt satisfaction too, but now she only felt guilt. Belle swallowed. What had Steve said? To 'forget' about what he had said? She couldn't. She looked up at him. He was looking fanatic to get trough to her. When she finally looked at him; _at_ him, not _trough_ him, a expression of relief filled his features. "I can't. I wouldn't have been able to even if I wanted to." She kept her gaze, and watched him blink a couple of times.

"What do you mean?" He looked hopeful, a look Belle hadn't seen on him since they were children. "I mean, I don't want to forget it. I was planning to tell you all the reasons why this wouldn't work," Steve's face fell. The hope that had lingered in his eyes disappeared. "But I realized I couldn't think of any." The hope returned to his eyes, along with a suspiciousness that she was messing with him. "Then why were you planning on telling me why it wouldn't work?" Steve injected. Belle looked up at him. It stung a bit that he didn't trust her, but Belle knew why, and hid it well.

She knew that the only thing that would make him believe her was the one thing she was scared to tell him; the _truth_. But, he was more important to her than that. There was no other thing to do. "I was scared. Scared, that you would do to me what I already have done to you." Belle swallowed again. For the second time that day she cursed her feelings.

Steve looked down at the girl he had confessed his ache for just a minute earlier. The same girl who had just confessed her own fear for him. He didn't understand what she had done to him, but he could tell by how she looked that she was hesitant to tell him this. "What did you do to me?" She looked at him. For once she dropped the act, and just let her feelings show. Her face twisted with guilt, guilt over the fact that she had to _tell_ him what she did. "I left you." Her eyes shone in shame, and for the first time Steve realized that she had felt ashamed and guilty about leaving them all that time ago.

Steve couldn't understand it. She had been kidnapped. She hadn't _chosen_ to leave them, she had been _forced_ to. "Belle, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have stopped him form kidnapping you." Belle shook her head. He didn't get it. This was all her fault. Everything was always her fault. That Steve was acting like this towards Mr. Tiny, that Crepsley died, that Darren missed Crepsley, that she herself got kidnapped, and that Heather died. Always her. "I could have come back. I could have broken free. I could have protected Heather. I could have saved Crepsley." Belle started to cry. Steve stretched one hand forward to touch her, but she broke away as is he had burned her.

She kept crying, and Steve realized that she would continue to do so for a long time. Everything she had bottled up insider herself for years was no coming out, all at once. He grabbed her arms, and pulled her to his chest. She tried desperately to break free, but he held her there with all his strength.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: **__I feel sorry for Belle…_

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Nineteen**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

There was no way he'd let her run out of his life once more. She took a quick look around. She had to look again to be sure, but her first look turned out to be right; Steve was standing right by her, leaning on a tree. "Missed me?" Some of his old humor was back, obviously. She walked over to him. When she was some poor inches away from him, she stopped, teasing him. Then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Not half as much as you've missed me." "You must've missed me a heck of a lot, then." Steve knew he gave away the fact that he missed her badly. He saw Belle bite her lip out of the corner of his eye. Belle had been completely silent for a while, something that was extremely out of character for her. Steve sighed, taking this as rejection. "Belle? Belle, you don't have to answer. Just forget I said something at all, okay?" She was scared. She was scared that she would become attached to him, and that he would leave her in one way or another. Just like she had left him. For once in her life, Belle felt pure guilt wash over her. I can't. I wouldn't have been able to even if I wanted to." She kept her gaze, and watched him blink a couple of times. "What do you mean?" "I mean, I don't want to forget it. I was planning to tell you all the reasons why this wouldn't work," Steve's face fell. "But I realized I couldn't think of any." The hope returned to his eyes. "I was scared. Scared, that you would do to me what I already have done to you. I left you." "Belle, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't have stopped him form kidnapping you." Belle shook her head. He didn't get it. This was all her fault. Everything was always her fault. "I could have come back. I could have broken free. I could have protected Heather. I could have saved Crepsley." Belle started to cry. Everything she had bottled up insider herself for years was no coming out, all at once. He grabbed her arms, and pulled her to his chest. She tried desperately to break free, but he held her there with all his strength.

_Present_

After a long time Belle had fallen asleep. Steve had lifted her up in his arms, and begun to carry her to the Cirque. As much as the fact that she would be taken better cared of there annoyed him, he knew it was true. He was almost there. He had come to the 'Circle Path' as it was called. Steve knew Darren would sense him soon, and Darren wouldn't exactly be happy to see him. Steve didn't care; getting Belle back was much more important than what Darren, of all people, would think.

Once he left the path, Darren showed up. He looked angry that Steve showed up here; at his place. When Darren saw Belle he got furious. "What did you do to her?" He demanded, once he came close enough. "I didn't do anything. She cried herself to sleep in my arms." Darren gave him a disbelieving look. "And why was she _crying_ exactly?" The way Darren pronounced the word crying, mad Steve sure that Darren didn't believe him.

"We talked about her kidnapping. For some reason she felt fucking _guilty_ for leaving us!" The bundle in his arms moved slightly, and Steve calmed himself down at once.

Darren watched with amusement how Steve calmed down to let Belle continue to sleep. Darren wasn't exactly thrilled with his theory, but he could see how it was likely to be true. Steve actually cared for Belle. "How do I know if I can believe you?" It didn't matter if Steve cared for Belle, Darren still had to be sure.

"Well, she was guilty about far more than just leaving us." Now Steve had captured Darren's attention. "She felt guilty about not being able to fight her kidnapper, and she felt guilty that Crepsley died." They both knew that this was obvious things that Steve easily could have made up. "Oh, and she mentioned something about not being able to protect this girl." Darren suddenly discovered new-found interest in what Steve was saying. "What girl?" Steve looked like he was concentrating about something deeply. "Her name was Haley or Hannah or something like that. It started with an H, I'm sure of it." Darren knew Steve was talking about Heather at once. "Heather?" He offered. Steve nodded. "Yeah. Who was she anyway?" Darren almost laughed at Steve's insensitiveness. Of course, Steve didn't know who Heather was, so it was understandably. "Heather was the girl Belle was kidnapped with. The one who was murdered just after Belle and Heather escaped."

Steve's face light up in a understanding way. "I should have known." Darren nodded. Then he became serious again. "Why did you bring her here? I can't imagine that is what you wanted. Didn't Mr. Tiny agree to have her in the vampaneeze camp?" When Darren mentioned Mr. Tiny's name, he saw how Steve's face became a scowl. Belle must have spoken to Steve about him then, Darren concluded.

"Mr. Tiny doesn't make all the decisions. I brought her here because we all know that you can take better care of her than I can." Darren looked at Steve, trying to decide if he was actually telling the truth. In the end, Darren believed he was.

Darren looked Steve in the eyes. "Thank you." Steve actually looked a little uncomfortable with Darren thanking him. "I didn't do it for you, Shan." Darren nodded. "I know. Doesn't mean it wasn't a nice thing to do." Steve nodded. "No problem, I guess." Darren chuckled inwardly. Steve actually got a bit shy.

"You want to help me bring her inside?" Darren offered, knowing Steve didn't want to let go of Belle just yet. Steve looked a little doubting. "I don't think your friends will like it." Darren nodded in agreement. "But… Could you ask Belle to, you know, eh- come and visit again?" Darren nodded. "Sure. But this doesn't change anything. We're still going to war." Steve nodded, as if the idea of having peace just because of this was completely illogical.

Darren walked over and took Belle out of Steve's grasp on her. Steve gave Belle one last glance, before turning around and leaving. Darren carried Belle the rest of the way till the Cirque, and met Alice in the entrance.

Alice looked worriedly down on the smaller girl in Darren's arms. "She okay?" Darren nodded. "Just asleep. Do you think she could continue to shear your tent?" Alice nodded. She didn't ask any further questions, which made Darren thankful.

Once they had gotten her to bed, they left Belle alone in the tent. She would probably want to wake up alone. Darren went straight to Mr. Tall's tent, and informed him. Mr. Tall wasn't exactly pleased, but he approved of Belle staying here.

He then told Darren of Mr. Tiny's prophecy about Belle. Darren listened carefully, without making a sound. He now understood what made Belle so important. After all, she was going to settle the war between the vampires and the vampaneezes. He would have to tell Belle once she woke up. Mr. Tall approved of telling Belle too. But he warned Darren that she might run away with the knowledge, or let the vampaneezes win. Darren agreed. He had to tell her, she deserved to know.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: **__I know it's a small chapter, but it's first day of school tomorrow. Therefore I probably will take a while, like a week or something like that, off to get used to my new school and class and stuff. Sorry._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-two**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

After a long time Belle had fallen asleep. Steve had lifted her up in his arms, and begun to carry her to the Cirque. Once he left the path, Darren showed up. Darren saw Belle he got furious. "What did you do to her?" He demanded. "I didn't do anything. She cried herself to sleep in my arms." Darren gave him a disbelieving look. "And why was she _crying_ exactly?" "For some reason she felt fucking _guilty_ for leaving us!" The bundle in his arms moved slightly, and Steve calmed himself down at once. Darren wasn't exactly thrilled with his theory, but he could see how it was likely to be true. Steve actually cared for Belle. "How do I know if I can believe you?" "Well, she was guilty about far more than just leaving us." Now Steve had captured Darren's attention. "She felt guilty about not being able to fight her kidnapper, and she felt guilty that Crepsley died." "Oh, and she mentioned something about not being able to protect this girl." "What girl?" "Her name was Haley or Hannah or something like that. It started with an H, I'm sure of it." Darren knew Steve was talking about Heather at once. "Heather?" He offered. Steve nodded. Darren walked over and took Belle out of Steve's grasp on her. Steve gave Belle one last glance, before turning around and leaving. Darren carried Belle the rest of the way till the Cirque, and met Alice in the entrance. "Do you think she could continue to shear your tent?" Alice nodded. Once they had gotten her to bed, they left Belle alone in the tent. Darren went straight to Mr. Tall's tent, and informed him. He then told Darren of Mr. Tiny's prophecy about Belle. He now understood what made Belle so important. After all, she was going to settle the war between the vampires and the vampaneezes.

_Present_

As Belle awoke, she had a massive headache. At first she couldn't remember what happened prior her sleep, but after a while it all came back to her. Belle didn't move at all, and sighed. Judging by the orange material she looked up at, she was back at the Cirque. How she had ended up there, she was unaware of. She didn't care either, in fact. She should leave. She was becoming way too attached. To Steve, to Darren. To everyone. Belle sighed once again. She liked it at the Cirque, she liked living with Darren, and she liked living near Steve.

The thought of leaving them both was close to suffocating. Which, of course, just made it more urgent to leave them. She couldn't depend on them. She couldn't depend on anyone. But, for now, she could just lay there. She didn't have to do anything. Belle heard soft and systematic breaths. Belle looked around. The sound came from Alice and Debbie's sleeping bodies. Belle sighed yet again. Now that she had already moved, she saw no point in staying in her bed.

As she made her way to the big, green tent Belle realized just how late it had to be. The sky was entirely black. Stars were clearly visible, and Belle unconscionably stopped to watch them. At times she wished she could be a star. They never had to do anything. Belle had looked up at them with Heather. The polar star was their favorite.

Heather used to believe that the polar star would guide them away from their capturer. She always spoke about how it would lead them trough unknown paradises. Belle hadn't believed her. But, when they ran away, Heather hadn't followed the chosen star. She had said that it was only in fairytales stars led people to anywhere but trouble. Belle refused to acknowledge it. She knew it was true; it wasn't like the star would lead them to paradises or such. But Belle thought that they needed to believe in something after all they had been trough. And, after all, it was almost fairytale alike that they were alive and free in the first place.

Belle sighed, and drew her attention back to the current time. There was no use standing there, she figured, and continued toward her destination.

Once she entered the tent, she knew someone was there. Lights were still on, and so was the heat. As she walked completely inside, the person (or vampire, as it turned out) was Darren.

"What are you doing up at this hour, Darren?" Darren looked up, surprised to hear somebody. He looked relieved to see that it was her. "Belle." They way he said her voice, with a finality, told Belle something was up. "What's going on?" Darren sighed. Then he patted the spot beside him, instructing her to sit beside him. With nearer inspection, Belle saw dark circles around his eyes, and that he was paler than normal.

He sighed again. "Belle. There's something you should know. But… I don't think you'll like it…" Darren looked nervous and fragile in a way. He looked exhausted, and it was rather obvious that he was dreading to tell her. "Tell me." Her voice got slightly demanding. Darren sighed. Third time now.

It was bad. It had to be bad, the way Darren acted. "Mr. Tiny did something…" With just those four words, Belle knew something was _very wrong_.

She knew Mr. Tiny would get back at her sooner or later. But this had to be really bad. Mr. Tiny must have had to done something so bad, even Darren was shaken.

"Darren, what did he do?" Darren sighed again. His eyebrows twisted a bit, and he didn't look like he knew how to express whatever Mr. Tiny had done into words. "He…" Darren didn't know how to go on. He laid his hands in his hands and sat like that for a while.

It took him about fifteen minutes, but he got the courage he needed in the end. He took one deep breath, and then spoke timidly. "He made a prophecy. About you." Belle closed her eyes for a second. She should have seen it coming. It was the most obvious thing he could possibly do, yet Belle hadn't been able to predict it.

"What kind of prophecy?" Darren shook his head a couple of times. Belle suddenly realized that he probably was involved in her 'prophecy'. Her 'destiny' (which she did not believe in) had to affect Darren too.

Darren still didn't answer. "What kind of prophecy, Darren?" Darren shook his head again. This time Belle grabbed him by the shoulders. She shook him lightly, and he suddenly acted calm again. Once she let go of his shoulders, he cleared his throat.

"The prophecy says that… That the war –the war between vampires and vampaneezes… That it depends on…" Darren stopped again, and took four deep breaths. "On what, Darren?" This time her voice got softer.

"The prophecy depends on _you_, Belle."

*************..*************

_Mr. Tiny's prophecy_

_The girl that shall relate to both sides,_

_Whom has been blinded by pride,_

_And choose between two,_

_She will have to make a thru,_

_As little irrelevant as she were,_

_The outcome of the feud shall depend on her._


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: **__I'm sorry it's been such a long while since I updated, but I just started school this week. I really haven't had the time._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-three**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

_As Belle awoke, she had a massive headache. As she made her way to the big, green tent Belle realized just how late it had to be. Once she entered the tent, she knew someone was there. As she walked completely inside, the person (or vampire, as it turned out) was Darren. "Belle. There's something you should know. But… I don't think you'll like it…" Darren looked nervous and fragile in a way. "Mr. Tiny did something…" With just those four words, Belle knew something was very wrong. "Darren, what did he do?" Darren sighed again. "He made a prophecy. About you." "What kind of prophecy?" Darren shook his head a couple of times. "The prophecy says that… That the war –the war between vampires and vampaneezes… That it depends on…" Darren stopped again, and took four deep breaths. "On what, Darren?" This time her voice got softer._

"_The prophecy depends on you, Belle." _

_Present_

Belle inhaled sharply. Her mind drew blank. She didn't know what to do. If this was true, then she would have to stay. She suddenly realized the problem she would have to deal with by this prophecy. She would have to freaking _choose_ between Steve and Darren. She shook her head, and let out the breath she hadn't been aware of holding at all. Darren looked at her with an expression filled with sympathy and pain for her.

"Darren… I can't…" She didn't know how to continue. Darren shook his head back at her, and smiled a small, reassuring and brave smile at her. "You don't have to, Belle. No one even expects you too. I just thought you deserved to know." Belle looked at him, all of him; his tired eyes, his twitching lips, his pale skin looking even worse than it probably should have by the circumstances.

Belle swallowed. She couldn't do this. She couldn't let him take this fall for her. But, what could she do? It wasn't like she could decide that the vampires should win. She couldn't do that to Steve either. And even if she did know who she could let win, she didn't have the slightest idea how to do it.

Belle sat up from the chair slowly. "Belle. Please don't leave. You don't have to do anything, okay?" Darren's voice was hesitant and careful. He expected her to run away. He was trying to talk her out of leaving. Belle couldn't do as he wanted. She had to get out.

So all while she was inside the tent and in his sight, she walked gracefully. Once she was out of the tent she ran for the woods. There was no way she could do this. She knew she was risking running into Steve, or one of his vampaneezes.

All the while, she assumed that they knew nothing about it. She could always pull of a lie that nothing was wrong, she had only had a small fight with Evra. Nothing big, she just needed to get out of there for a while. They would believe it.

Maybe not Steve, but the chance of meeting him was rather small. After all, it was a big forest. Belle sighed again, and slowed her sprint to a comfortable walk instead.

Her conclusion seemed to be wrong anyway, as the first few minutes of silence were interrupted by Steve. He stepped out of the shadows just by the path and greeted her. Belle cursed inside, narrowed her eyes at him. "So, you're stalking me now?" Steve looked right back at her, a serious look crossing his features.

His eyebrows rose, and his lips stayed in the line they were in already. He knew. There was no doubt in Belle's mind. Belle sighed. "I guess you've heard?" Steve merely nodded.

Belle sighed. "If you're gonna try to convince me of _anything_, I'll leave. Even if you try to convince me that I don't have to make a choice, I don't care. Don't." Steve looked mildly surprised at Belle's blunt outburst. She wasn't usually like that, she was usually playing games.

Steve merely nodded. He didn't know what to say. He kept up with her walk, but refused to say anything. He could sense the stiffness in her every move, and knew he'd lose her if he opened his mouth at all. He knew that if he spoke, he wouldn't be able to keep his options for himself. And by how she had been the last time he saw her, and seeing how pushed to the edge she was right now, he knew she would only turn away from him then.

Belle didn't say anything either, she was occupying herself by blocking the world around her. Her eyes got foggy, and her face was expressionless. Another time she cursed her feeling as she stepped hard on a sharp stone.

Her shoes was getting worn-out, and the bottom of them were barely even thick enough to not feel every stone on the road. They could just still pass as shoes.

When they reached close to were the vampaneeze hunt marks started, Steve turned them around. She still refused to acknowledge his presence, even when he had spoken to her a couple of times.

In the end, he tried saying something he knew she'd be interested in. He told her more about Mr. Tiny's prophecy. He told her the things he knew Darren was reluctant to tell her. Like the rest of the prophecy, the after-work of it. Mr. Tiny had explained why the war depended on Belle.

"Why? Why does the war depend on me?" Steve caught her gaze. "You'll be able to kill a person who is 'greatly involved in the war'." Belle nodded. She didn't look away, and in a weird way, that reassured him. She opened her mouth to speak to him.

"So, Mr. Tiny told you?" Steve nodded. She raised her eyebrows at him. "Did he-" She interrupted herself. "_Does_ he know that you're telling me this?" Steve was pretty sure she was going to ask him if Mr. Tiny gave him permission to tell her at first, and was a bit annoyed at that, but still a bit grateful that she didn't.

"No. I figured it would be easier for you if he didn't. But he might find out anyway." Belle nodded.

"Thanks." He looked at her. She wasn't usually this grateful. Then again, everything was different.

Belle was still not certain whether she could pick. Not out of Darren and Steve. She was slightly embarrassed to see Steve again too, considering what had happened the last time they met.

"When do you suppose I'll have to kill someone?" That bothered her too; she'd have to _kill_ either Steve or Darren. "Mr. Tiny guessed it would be in around… Three days." Belle narrowed her eyes at him. "_Three days_?" Steve gulped softly.

He knew it wasn't a long while, but it wasn't his fault. He hadn't really made Mr. Tiny do that. It was partly because of him though; as Mr. Tiny thought Steve got distracted by Belle. He probably did.

"Bye." Steve looked at her baffled. Bye? But… Steve looked around, only to realize that they were straight by the Cirque. He looked back at her again, and uttered a goodbye.

Just as he had turned and started to walk away, did Belle call after him. "I'll let you know. When I figure it out." Steve turned around and nodded at her in thanks. Then they walked their separate ways.

_**A/N: **__Now I know what to do about this story! I'll do what I always wanted to!_


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: **__… I had to update again. No dedications this time._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-four**_

_****************..***************_

_Recap_

_She would have to freaking choose between Steve and Darren. "Darren… I can't…" She didn't know how to continue. "You don't have to, Belle. No one even expects you too. I just thought you deserved to know." So all while she was inside the tent and in his sight, she walked gracefully. Once she was out of the tent she ran for the woods. Her conclusion seemed to be wrong anyway, as the first few minutes of silence were interrupted by Steve. . "So, you're stalking me now?" Steve looked right back at her, a serious look crossing his features.__ His eyebrows rose, and his lips stayed in the line they were in already. He knew. Belle sighed. "If you're gonna try to convince me of anything, I'll leave. Even if you try to convince me that I don't have to make a choice, I don't care. Don't." Steve merely nodded. He kept up with her walk, but refused to say anything. He told her more about Mr. Tiny's prophecy. Mr. Tiny had explained why the war depended on Belle. "Why does the war depend on me?" Steve caught her gaze. "You'll be able to kill a person who is 'greatly involved in the war'." Belle nodded. "When do you suppose I'll have to kill someone?" That bothered her too; she'd have to kill either Steve or Darren. "Mr. Tiny guessed it would be in around… Three days." Belle narrowed her eyes at him. "Three days?" Steve gulped softly. Just as he had turned and started to walk away, did Belle call after him. "I'll let you know. When I figure it out." Steve turned around and nodded at her in thanks. Then they walked their separate ways._

_Present_

_Two__ Days Before The War_

Belle sighed. After she had left Steve and gone back to the Cirque two days ago, everything had been bad. Many of the freaks at the Cirque tried to get her to kill Steve, which she didn't want to. Nor did she want to kill Darren.

Darren frequently told those certain freaks to leave her alone, but they rarely listened. Belle was at loss at what to do, and Darren looked worse and worse every day. Some of the freaks said it was her fault, but few went that low.

Mr. Tall had called her into a couple of lessons yesterday and today on how to kill the person of her choice, and had hinted at something Belle didn't quite understand. He had given her a dagger to do it with, and told her where to stab the person.

You usually would have thought of the heart or something cheesy like that, right? Not here. She was supposed to stab Steve or Darren in the neck. She still didn't understand exactly why it was the neck, but concluded that it really didn't matter anyway.

Nevertheless had she asked Mr. Tall why the neck. The answer had rather surprised her. Mr. Tall said it depended on whom she was to kill. If it was one person it was to not have to see their face, if it was another it was so the person wouldn't see it coming. Belle still didn't understand what he had meant by that.

As much as she would have liked to, she didn't see Steve the day before, and wouldn't do so the day after. On the war day she could see him, but then she might have to kill him.

Darren she could talk to, but didn't want to due how he looked. Evra was still in shock after Larten, so Belle stayed away from him and gave him some space. She knew she could've needed a friend like him now, but figured the world wasn't all about her, and therefore stayed away.

She could've needed Larten right now; he would have known what to do. But that was impossible. Belle sighed. This was not the time to think of Larten. She had other problems she had to think of right now.

Belle avoided Darren as much as possible, merely because he kept telling her how he wouldn't be mad or disappointed in her if she chose to kill him. He was meaning well, Belle knew that. He was just making it damn hard to kill him too.

Belle had thought about killing herself and running away. But both would be cowardly and, more importantly, nether would help. Steve or Darren would still die, or, considering how idiotically clumsy they both were, they would kill each other so _both_ died. It honestly wouldn't have surprised Belle.

*************..*************

By nightfall Belle had spent the whole day trying to figure out what to do the day of the war. So far she had absolutely, ultimately, wonderfully _nothing_.

Belle sighed. She had gone to bed straight after dinner, and refused to come out of the tent no matter how many times Darren pleaded with her. She couldn't sleep, and had ended up staring in the top of the tent for several hours.

Debbie had come by once too, and asked Belle to join them on Darren's next to last day. She had been crying. She didn't get it. It shouldn't be Darren's next to last day. Belle wondered if anyone was this sad because they believed Steve would die.

Probably not.

Belle was highly bothered by the hints Mr. Tall had given her. It was like a puzzle, a puzzle she had put together many times earlier, but now couldn't find all the pieces to.

Belle sighed again. Perhaps she was missing something obvious. Perhaps she was an idiot, and the person who had gotten them all in this mess in the first place.

Perhaps it was a punishment. A punishment for letting Heather and Larten die. No, she couldn't think like that. She had seen way to many movies where the main person thought like that, and gave up. She refused to let herself drown in self pity.

Maybe this wasn't about her at all. Maybe she had just ended up in the middle of it all by a coincidence.

Or maybe this wasn't any of those. Maybe it was destiny. No. No freaking way. She refused to believe in destiny. Only sick, sick persons believed in destiny. You can look at the fat, balled madman named Mr. Tiny if you believed otherwise.

He was proof enough.

It was late. It had to be, since Darren finally had given up on her. Yet, there she laid, not any closer to figure out which one of her two best friends to kill.

_**A/N:**__ I'm sorry this chapter is so short. This story is ending soon. Two or three more chapters, then it'll be finished. Anyone who can guess who Belle will kill in the end? If anyone can guess it before I write the final chapter (that may be in two parts), I'll dedicate the last chapter to them._


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: **__… I had to update again. No dedications this time._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-five**_

_****************..***************_

_One__ Days Before The War_

Belle had been wakened by the freaks who hated her. They had started screaming and shouting how everything was her fault and stuff. Belle wasn't too faced by it but Darren seemed terrified.

He had walked over to her tent at about ten, and thought he'd wake her. By then Belle had been awake to listen to the yelling for about an hour. Darren chased them away, and walked into Belle's tent (as she had gotten her own once the prophecy was revealed), hoping to catch her of guard.

Obviously, he didn't. But to Darren's wonder, she let him in anyway. "Hey." Now that he actually was inside he was at loss on what to say. He honestly hadn't expected her to let him in. She smiled at him, a tired, small smile, but it was more than he'd gotten out of her in days.

"Hey. How are you? You look a bit better today." Darren looked at her. _Better?_ "Was I looking bad?" Belle nodded. "You were looking sick." Darren thought about it. She was probably right. "Well today I've eaten a lot, unlike you." Darren looked sternly at her.

"Darren I can't eat. I'll have to freaking _kill_ one of you." She didn't have to say who 'you' were. Darren understood perfectly. Belle knew she was using it as an excuse, but she refused to eat. It wouldn't do her any good anyway.

Darren nodded sympathetically. Maybe it was an excuse, but it was a good excuse nonetheless. Darren believed it wholly and fully, and was way too polite to dig in it. Just like she wanted him to be.

"Do you think Mr. Tiny know who you'll chose?" That's when it hit her. The idea came so suddenly it was overwhelming. "Darren. We have to visit Mr. Tiny." With a glance on Darren's confused and puzzled expression, she added. "I have to ask him of something. About tomorrow." Darren merely nodded. "Get on my back." Belle wasn't certain if it was common among vampires, so she did as she was told without hesitation.

Once she was on his back, he ran off in vampire speed. In a second they were at the vampaneeze hunt grounds. Belle was a bit disoriented, but refused to show it.

Fortunately Belle didn't see Steve anywhere. Belle got off of Darren's back, then bent closer to him and whispered in his ear. "Play along." Darren gave her a slightly curious look, but nodded anyway.

As they reached Mr. Tiny's office Darren stopped right outside the door, while Belle walked right in. Darren shot her a bewildered look, but walked in like nothing had happened.

Mr. Tiny sat at his chair with his plans for the war in front of him like usual. "What can I help you with, Annabelle?" Belle clenched her fists. "Not the day to mess with me, _Tiny_." She spat his name, and was painfully aware of Steve, who had come straight after them, and stood at the doorstep.

This was the right decision. Belle knew it. Mr. Tiny looked at her, impatient. "This prophecy of yours says that I can kill someone greatly involved in the war, right?" Mr. Tiny nodded. "And you can guarantee me that this person will die by my attack?" Mr. Tiny nodded again. He then waived his hand at them, implying that he wanted them gone. "_And_ that this person will _stay _dead, no matter what?" Mr. Tiny nodded once again, more annoyed than anything else.

"Why do you keep asking these questions? Don't you trust me?" Belle narrowed her eyes at him. "He's a vampaneeze, Tiny. And _no_, I _don't_ trust you." Mr. Tiny smirked. He thought he had her where he wanted her. Belle then turned around, and looked at Steve. "What are _you_ watching?" She snarled at him. Then she walked out, passing Steve in the process with Darren at her heals.

Steve merely looked at her. Once she was gone he walked out of Mr. Tiny's office. He couldn't even remember why he had walked in there in the first place. Steve realized that tomorrow, tomorrow he was going to die.

Belle was going to kill him tomorrow.

_***************..***************_

Once they had returned to the Cirque Darren turned to her. "Are you planning to kill Steve?" He demanded. Belle shook her head. "No. I'm making him think I'm gonna kill him. But… I'm really going to kill you." Belle swallowed harshly.

Darren nodded, immediately calmer. "Thank you." Belle nodded at him. "So, you wanna eat dinner? With me and Debbie and Evra and Alice and everyone else who wants to come? It'll be the last chance you'll get." Belle nodded as she bit her lip.

It was the right decision. Belle knew that.

_***************..***************_

After the big dinner Belle had walked over to Mr. Tall's tent. They had then spent about three or four hours more on how Belle was to stab the person of her choice in the neck, then one on how to hold the dagger, then three more on how to make her plan work.

Once she was done with the lessons she went straight to bed. She would have a difficult day tomorrow, and honestly, she was tired.

Darren came in and said goodnight, before he told the mob outside her tent to go elsewhere. They actually listened to him though, and didn't bother her for the rest of the night.

Debbie had walked by outside; Belle had heard her due to her loud sobbing. Alice had actually come inside, and told Belle that she was proud of her. Belle had smiled in thanks, and Alice had left as suddenly as she had come.

As Belle went to bed she had her dagger tucked safely under her pillow. Belle curled up in a ball, dreading tomorrow as much as she possibly could. She kept her eyes closed, scared to death that what she could see with closed eyes would still be there if she opened them.

She woke up several times that night, each time by a nightmare worse than by the one before. She still kept her eyes shut. Several times she could actually hear the voices after she awoke, and those few times she opened her eyes she could see ghosts from her past.

This happened from time to time when she couldn't deal properly with the things that happened in her life. Belle wasn't insane. She just had 'problems with sleeping under certain circumstances'.

Yeah, that was it. Nothing bad. She was fine. Everything was perfectly fine.

_***************..***************_

_**A/N: **__Now I do have a dedication; my new reviewer: Onyxx-09. Thank you for reviewing. I know this chapter is short. BUT, I'll start writing the next one (that could be the last) either tonight or tomorrow. I don't know if I'll be able to post it before Monday, but I'll try my hardest to make it work. And someone seriously needs to tell me how to make a line-break. I've spent the last twenty-five chapters of my life trying to figure it out._


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N: **__Part one of the last two chapters. Thank you so much Onyxx-09, for showing me the line-break. I've used it in this chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-six**_

* * *

_The War_

When she woke up, Belle's eyes were unbelievable sore. She went to the toilet at once though, and poured cold water in her own face (she brought the dagger with her). Her eyes weren't red to her surprise.

Darren tried to get her to eat again at breakfast, but she refused. It didn't matter what Darren did or how many of the freaks heard their fight about it. Belle just didn't care. She didn't want the freaking food anyway.

After she left the green tent, Belle walked over to her tent and dressed properly. She packed all her things; she assumed they would throw her out afterwards. She took a trip into Mr. Tall's office, but he quickly dismissed her. She then went to say goodbye to Debbie.

Debbie was crying the whole time, and tried to act as though she didn't blame Belle, even when it was obvious that she did. "Try to be careful with him, okay?" She had requested, referring to when Belle would kill Darren.

Belle had agreed, and then gotten out of there. Next up was Alice. Alice wished her luck, and even hugged her on her way out. "Take care of yourself." Alice had said, in Belle's hair. Belle had nodded and hugged her back.

Belle then went to the next person on her list, Evra. Evra had been surprised to see her, as she hadn't really sought him out since Larten had died. But he hadn't acted mean to her, and it seemed like he really didn't blame her. "Sometimes bad things happen. They don't need a reason. They just happen." Belle had nodded, and for once she had hugged someone.

As she had already visited Mr. Tall she skipped him.

By then she didn't have much time. But she only had Darren left anyway. Nether of them had cried; Darren because he was trying to be brave, Belle because she didn't feel like she had a reason to.

Darren hadn't hugged her. But he had held her the whole time they were speaking. His voice had cracked a couple of times, but that was all. He had thanked her more than once for picking him.

Then they were ready. They were ready to go.

* * *

The war was supposed to happen in the middle of 'The Circle Path'. None of the sides were familiar with it, which made it the perfect place for the setting.

At least that's what Mr. Tall had said.

When the vampires arrived the vampaneezes were already there. A rarity since Steve was their leader, an obviousness since Mr. Tiny was the one in charge. Mr. Tiny smiled like a sick child on Christmas, Steve looked like he was dreading every second in his future, and Darren looked like a man at his own funeral.

Belle herself felt like she was at a funeral. She felt dizzy (most likely because of the lack of food she had in her body; she hadn't eaten since the dinner on the day before yesterday), and a bit numb, a bit like she was going to puke, a bit like screaming, and a bit like crying.

She did nether, just kept her face expressionless, with the dagger held tightly in her hand.

After the vampires had placed their self in rows that Mr. Tiny thought of as 'necessary' and 'in place', they was ready to begin. They were ready for Belle killing one of their leaders.

Belle felt sick by just the thought of stabbing anyone in the back. She swallowed again. She would have to do this anyway. Now all the vampires were at three rows, the vampaneezes standing the exact way, just on the opposite side.

In the middle, Darren stood in front of the vampires, Steve stood in front of the vampaneezes, Mr. Tiny stood to the side of both of them (to Darren's right and Steve's left), while Belle stood in the middle of them all.

She looked from Darren to Steve once. Then her gaze rested on the ground. Both boys thought they were the one who was going to die.

Belle raised her gaze to Mr. Tiny. He was looking down at her, like she was a caged animal. He thought he had won. He was completely sure it was over.

"Are you going to start soon? We don't have all day. It shall be a war here too." Mr. Tiny rushed her. Belle lifted her dagger.

"Yes. I'm ready." It was true. She was ready. "But I'll need you all to close your eyes." Mr. Tiny looked ridiculing at her. "No. You don't understand how that'll-" Belle cut him off.

"I don't care. If I'm gonna do it, they, and you, will have to close your eyes. If you refuse to close your eyes, then I refuse to stab anyone." Belle would have crossed her arms over her chest, had she not been holding an utterly sharp dagger in her hand.

Mr. Tiny sighed. "Fine then. We'll close our eyes. But then you better get it done fast." Belle nodded. At first most of the vampires closed their eyes. Then some of the vampaneezes followed. Soon all the creatures of the night stood with their eyes closed.

As she took a deep breath, Darren stepped forward. Mr. Tiny raised his eyebrows at them, but didn't say a word. Darren acted as though he hadn't noticed, but squeezed Belle's hand and gave her a small, reassuring and brave smile. Belle nodded in thanks. Then Darren stepped back, and closed his eyes. He now thought he was prepared to die.

Debbie's faint sobs could be heard. Belle looked at Steve. His eyes gave away all too much of his emotions. Hi eyes were filled with anger, hurt and confusion. Belle swallowed again. Steve kept her gaze, until he closed his eyes.

Then Mr. Tiny was the only one left. He _smirked _at her, then he closed his eyes.

Belle looked at her victim for some seconds. Then she walked behind it soundlessly. She walked ten steps from him, and then lifted her dagger.

She sprang on.

_Three steps._

_Five._

_Eight._

_Ten._

She smashed the dagger against his head. As the dagger went trough his head, the victim gasped. Belle felt horrible. She had never felt so bad in her whole life, not at any point. When she twisted the dagger, her feelings left her. Everyone opened their eyes. They saw how her expression changed from suffering to a nothingness.

As her victim hit the ground Belle ripped the dagger out of his head. The dagger splashed a little blood on her shirt. Belle didn't even feel it.

Nobody made a sound. Even Debbie had stopped crying. Everyone was waiting. Waiting, for something nobody was quite sure what was.

Belle's victim stuttered, and spat blood at the same time. Blood trailed down from his mouth, and Belle couldn't even bring herself to feel disgusted.

The victim's body went limp. Everything was silent for several minutes. Then a soft breeze hit, and just like that everyone started to breath again.

Everyone knew Belle had made her choice. It was the end for her victim.

Everyone knew who Belle had killed.

* * *

_**A/N:**__ I'm just gonna leave it there. So, who do you think Belle killed? Leave a review and tell me. The next (and last) chapter of this story will be dedicated to whoever guesses right. I can't with to write next chapter!_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: **__This chapter is dedicated to the people who guessed right; __RangaJess__, __FutureStar27__, __shan123 __and __christeneexx.__ I'm sorry that I spent so long on writing this chapter, and that it's so short, and probably bad. I was just dreading to end this story. I might write a sequel, but not yet. I'm taking a break now. And I might __not__ write a sequel too, if nobody's interested. I'll see._

_**Disclaimer:**__ This is __**FAN**__fiction. It's pretty obvious that I don't own anything. I don't._

_**Returning to Steve Leonard**_

_**Chapter Twenty-seven**_

_****************..***************_

Belle blinked. Darren ran over to her, and he uttered a breath of surprise. He looked at her with puzzled eyes, before pulling her into a crushing embrace. Belle looked over at Debbie, who was so in shock that she hadn't even moved yet.

Darren pulled away from her, and stared into her eyes with his own emotion filled ones. Then, wordlessly, he walked over to Debbie and lifted her in his arms.

Steve came over to Belle. "I… I thought you were going to kill _me_?" It sounded more like a question than a statement, and Steve's voice was a bit muffled by the shock, which made him sound out of character. He then gestured towards Mr. Tiny's body. "Are you alright?"

And that was it for Belle. Her defense broke down completely. "I just _killed_ somebody, didn't I?" Her voice didn't even have an undertone of sarcasm, only wonder. Steve nodded. "Yes. You did."

Finally some of the vampaneezes seemed to understand what had just taken place right before their eyes; Belle, a girl with no powers or privileges, just killed Mr. Tiny.

Then some of the vampaneezes that were still settled for a fight decided this was the moment to do so. "The vampires tricked us! They planned it, and now they want to take charge!" One of them yelled. His yells angered the other vampaneezes, and soon they were all ready for a fight.

This again, angered the vampires, and then they were for a fight too. Steve and Darren both tried to explain to their army what had really happened, but nobody listened. Nobody _wanted _to listen.

Belle realized that nobody could clean this mess up but her. They feared her, after seeing what she had done to Mr. Tiny, which gave them more reason to keep silent than their respect for their leaders. Belle picked her dagger up from its former place in the grass, and held it up above her head.

Soon, both parts had silenced. Darren and Steve had turned around too, but they kept silent too. Belle looked back and forth between the vampires and vampaneezes furiously. "You want to fight?" Once her words proceeded in their minds, they all started yelling and screaming. Though Belle couldn't hear the words of any of them, the message was clear; yes.

"Well, that's too bad for you. Cause you can't fight each other." Many of them started to curse and protest, but Belle silenced them again. "Well, you _can _fight each other, but it would be pointless." More protests responded. Then one of the vampaneezes stepped forward. "Why not? The vampires killed our leader. We have the right to." The vampaneezes cheered at this argument.

Belle shook her head. "No. The vampires didn't know that I would kill Mr. Tiny. They all thought I was going to kill Darren." The vampaneeze gave her a confused, but not disbelieving look. "And why did they think so?"

Belle smiled a sad smile. "Because that's what I told them. Just like I acted like I was going to kill Steve. Nobody but _me_ knew I was going to kill Tiny." The vampaneeze looked like he accepted this as the truth. He looked a bit warmer. It surprised Belle, but she was grateful none the less. Belle spoke up again. "So, if you're gonna fight someone, it'll be all of you against me."

Now the vampaneeze shot her an amused smile. Then he spoke again, but surprisingly in her favor this time. "I don't think that's fair." He turned to all the other vampaneezes. "Do you? All of us against a little human-girl?" The vampaneezes agreed that it wasn't, and the vampaneeze taking the lead continued. "Of course this is Lord Steve's decision, but what would you guys say to go home? There's no reason to stick around, sadly enough." The vampaneezes agreed, and were soon off to leave.

The vampires followed suit. Belle didn't understand how it could all be this simple. A while later only Darren, Steve and Belle were left. "So, you're expecting peace from us now?" Steve's voice was harsh, like a child asking his mum if he was to never get candy from her again. Darren sighed. Then he looked up, into Steve's eyes. "_We_'re gonna keep the peace, unless you fight us."

Steve looked like he was about to protest, so Darren continued before he could. "And Belle will obviously fight if we do." Both guys glanced to Belle, who was currently sitting on the ground with closed eyes. Steve swallowed.

"Fine. _Truce_. But that's it, Shan. We're not going to be best buds or anything!" Steve snarled on the last part. Darren nodded. "What are we gonna do about her, Steve?" Yet again both guys looked over at Belle. She was staring out in space, and she was disturbingly pale. "I don't know, Darren." Darren glanced surprised at Steve. This was the first time since everything happened that Steve had called him by his first name.

"She's bad, isn't she?" Darren looked sympathetic at Steve. He just nodded. Steve kept his gaze on her, and his gaze was filled with worry. "Why him? Why Tiny?" Darren looked back at Steve again. "I don't know. I didn't really think about it. It can't be just because she disliked him." Steve nodded.

Then he walked over to Belle. "Hey, Belle?" Belle lifted her gaze, and though it seemed more like she was looking _trough_ him than _at_ him, she lifted her gaze. "Because I read it." At hearing those words from her, Darren came over to them too. "Read what, Belle?" Darren tried to keep his voice as gentle as possible.

"I read the Book of Shadows." Darren and Steve continued to look at her. "So?" Steve couldn't handle the silence. "One of you was supposed to kill the other one." Steve groaned. This was all information they already knew, damnit! "The one who would stay alive was going to become the Lord of Shadows, and be Mr. Tiny's personal servant and puppet." Now, that was new. Neither of the guys had seen that one coming. Darren realized that it made sense with what Evanna had said though.

_Sometime later_

It had been some hours since the war had been now (if you could really call it a war?), and Darren and Steve had agreed that they'd take Belle to the Cirque (after all, the Cirque was supposed to be neutral). She refused to eat, but they had gotten her to drink a bit of water. She didn't talk much, she only answered simple questions.

But she was okay. And, just for now, that was enough for Steve. Cause she was alive, and so was he and so was Darren. Mr. Tiny wasn't, but in a strange way that felt good. No one was really happy. But everybody was relieved. Relieved that they hadn't lost anyone.

And, just for now, that was enough. Enough for today. Maybe Steve or someone else would do something about it tomorrow. But that didn't matter. Not now. Since now, everyone was okay. They could start to rebuild everything tomorrow. Steve would work on what to do with the vampaneezes, and Darren on the vampires. And they would cooperate, to get Belle better. But she was okay. And, just today, that was enough for everyone.


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: **Hi people, this is NOT a chapter. I just wanted to drop by and tell you that I now have posted the Prologue of the sequel to this story. Hope I'll see you!_


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